Parents jeer Motshekga in school talks

Minister promises new task team – but call is for immediate action

TEMPERS flared and emotions ran high at a community meeting yesterday where Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga spoke about her plans regarding the northern areas education crisis.

School principals, parents and school governing body representatives crammed into the Dorothea Jansen Hall in Schauderville where Motshekga and her high-level team from the national Department of Education presided over the meeting.

Other officials present included provincial Education MEC Mandla Makupula, ANC MP Cedric Frolick, ANC MPL Christian Martin, municipal council speaker Maria Hermans, and acting education district director Joy Grobler.

Ward councillors and religious leaders were also there.

Motshekga said she would send a task team from her office immediately after Easter to deal with various challenges raised.

Tension at the meeting started early when a group of parents – including some who were arrested during a protest last week – chanted: “One teacher, one classroom.”

Before Motshekga took to the podium, the delegation from the Department of Education requested all media to leave the hall.

But angry parents demanded the media remain in the hall.

Some even blocked the exit through which the media were attempting to leave.

Department officials then led some media through another exit, but The Herald reporter remained to cover the meeting.

One of the first speakers, Parkside Primary School principal Penny Barry, said she would be losing eight teachers despite an increase in pupil numbers and pupils with special needs.

“We have already lost six teachers, which means they will not be replaced. We also have no non-teaching staff and no secretary,” she said.

Greenville Primary School principal Patrick Joseph said particular areas of concern were the appointment and recruitment of Grade R practitioners.

Pupils with special needs also required full-service special needs schools instead of schools battling to appoint more teachers to deal with special needs pupils.

Northern Areas Education Forum member Gordon Sampson said: “Honourable minister, since last year we as the forum wrote to you on several occasions to ask for a meeting.

“Nothing came of it. We are tired of the empty promises.

“Now we hear that we have to wait until after Easter again.

“We want a teacher in every classroom,” Sampson said.

Motshekga then took to the podium again and said if schools had difficulties with their post provision they should make written submissions. Her comment was met with angry jeers and shouting.

She then threatened to call off the meeting.

One speaker, who could not be identified, said: “My question, minister, is how serious are you about the education of our children? Because this has all been discussed before.

“You say that you will come back after Easter but we want solutions now, not after Easter.”

One parent who was arrested last week during the education protest in Gelvandale, Marlon Daniels, said he was not convinced the minister was serious about solving the crisis.

Daniels said he had attended a closed meeting for community members yesterday morning when the minister made reference to various matters.

But, Daniels said, she could not “explain the R530-million which the provincial department could not spend and which was sent back to Treasury”.

Daniels hoped the new task team “will bring a different spin, but I am not holding my breath”.