WATCH: School pupils go on the rampage

PUPILS at Phambili High School in Seaview took to the corridors in what they called protest action against one of the teachers on Tuesday morning.

Bellair SAPS filled Sarnia Road monitoring the situation.

According to Edward Mpanza, head-boy at the school, pupils were fed up with the ill-treatment they received from a teacher they claim is abusive.

“We as pupils have tried to address the situation peacefully but we seem to go by unheard. She is making the lives of pupils miserable and that is obviously not conducive for any pupil who wants to achieve decent academic marks,” said a calm Mpanza.

Pupils toy-toyed in the corridors carrying placards that reflected their grievances while chanting that they no longer wanted the teacher on the school premises.

Pupils also allegedly smashed windows and slashed the tyres of another teacher’s vehicle.

The teacher, who was not at the school during the incident, is accused of slapping pupils, swearing at them and belittling them in front of others.

“She films us during assembly, we are not monkeys to be recorded while we sing our school song, she strips us of our dignity,” said an angry pupil.

The school principal addressed the pupils and asked them to disperse and return the next day but the pupils refused saying they would go home when they had been assured that the teacher would be dismissed with immediate effect.

Spokesman for the KZN Department of Education, Sihle Mlotshwa said the matter was being addressed by the district.

“We always encourage both teachers and pupils to follow due process in any issue they may face instead of stopping teaching and learning.

“In this particular case the pupils opted to stop learning which is self defeating as they are the ones who will suffer the most as they lose out on valuable learning time. We as a department however are working around the clock to solve this matter as speedily as possible,” Mlotshwa said.

Classes have since returned to normal with the school not wanting to confirm whether the teacher was at school or not.