The Eastern Cape Department of Education’s acting Superintendent-General (SG), Professor Harry Nengwekhulu, accompanied by East London District Director, Mr Mpangazitha Ngwanya, held a very fruitful meeting this morning with the School Governing Body (SGB) of the embattled Greenpoint High School in East London.
Superintendent General specifically called the meeting to express his appreciation and support of the work done and the principled stand that the SGB have taken in the face of brazen wanton vilification by some members of the community supported by a motley crew of educators at the school.
Mr Ngwanya reported that for now, the school is back to normal, full teaching and learning has resumed and that teachers are fully engrossed in their work in the classrooms. He indicated that the district would heighten its support for the school through a targeted monitoring of work that is still outstanding and thereby assist the school in setting up a credible catch-up programme that takes into cognisance the already short 2010 academic year. The district’s chief education specialists and education development officers will visit the school in order to ascertain the level of work done to date, engage with educators and thus to be better placed to assist in the development of the catch-up plan.
Superintendent-General reconfirmed the department’s support for the principal Mr Jikwa, stating that he was satisfied that the SGB had fully complied with legal recruitment procedures in its recruitment processes; further indicating that any threats levelled against either the principal and/or the SGB will be referred to the police and other state security agencies.
He further acknowledged that he was not perturbed by the reports of a march being organised as protest, as it was anybody’s democratic right to do so, cautioning that he would expect that any action wouldn’t affect the academic programmes of the school. He noted that he expected teachers to be in class during official hours unless they also had formally declared a dispute with the department on the matter. The SGB vowed to continue with its statutory responsibilities without fear or favour, thanking the Superintendent-General for his tacit support for their work in Greenpoint.
Enquiries:
Loyiso Pulumani
083 275 0675
Issued by: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
10 February 2010
Source: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoe.gov.za/)
