Pupils from troubled school fear exams

PUPILS at Limekhaya High School in Uitenhage start mid- year exams today worrying that they have not done enough to pass.

Teaching at the school only resumed on Friday after pupils marched against one of their teachers two weeks ago, resulting in some classes being suspended. The pupils had complained about Grade 9 Xhosa teacher Buyiswa Qundele, whom they accused of verbally abusing pupils and parents and sometimes enforcing corporal punishment.

As a result, eight teachers stopped teaching in support of Qundele and only agreed to return to teaching after a meeting between Education Department officials, parents and staff on Thursday.

But Grade 11 pupil Sheronica Nqukelo said valuable time had been wasted. "We don't know what to study, we haven't even finished all of the term's work never mind trying to get a revision class. - Tremaine van Aardt