The KwaZulu-Natal Head of Department, Dr Nkosinathi Sishi has closed Ekukhoseleni Primary School after teaching and learning was brought to a standstill on Monday after a group of disgruntled parents/community members closed the school gates.
"I was regrettably forced to inform the School Governing Body (SGB), parents, teachers and learners at Ekukhoseleni Primary School of my decision as the KwaZulu-Natal head of department to invoke the provision of Section 16 (4) of the South African Schools Act No 84 of 1996 as amended," said Dr Sishi.
This section of the act empowers the head of department to temporarily close a public school in case of emergency. "I have reasonable ground that the unrest at the school poses a threat to staff as well as learners at the school," said Dr. Sishi.
There is therefore no provision in the legislation for communities/parents to close the schools regardless of the reasons and/or tensions that may be there at a particular school. As a Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, we would like to warn communities that illegal closure of school will not be tolerated.
The decision by the head of department to close Ekukhoseleni Primary School comes after the department notices a series of disturbing trends where communities/parents resort to illegal closure of schools every time there are issues of disagreement in our schools.
The department would like to reiterate that closure of public schools by members of community is at best militating against our vision as government and down right illegal at worst.
"As government we have worked hard to impress upon communities and all the stakeholders that unless we work together to uplift education, we may face difficulties in achieving goals that we have set for ourselves. This is what we have always meant when we say education is a societal responsibility that all of us need to play a significant role in achieving the ideals of an accessible and quality education," said Dr. Sishi.
For more information:
Mbali Thusi
Cell: 082 881 7484
Closure of Ekukhoseleni Primary School
Province
