A DAY after schools re-opened for the new school year, unhappy Wyebank residents protested outside Wyebank Secondary School, calling for the principal to step down.
The protest followed after the school experienced a poor pass rate in 2015. The school’s Grade 12 pass rate was 63,69 percent.
With placards written, ‘Down with current SGB’, ‘Dr Govender must go’ and ‘Down with school fees’, the protesters demanded that the principal hear them out.
A parent, Reggie Pillay, said parents of failing pupils were never consulted about their children’s progress.
“A pupil from the school recently committed suicide after learning she had failed, and parents are blaming the school,” said Pillay.
Parents claim they tried talking to the principal, Dr Saths Govender, but he showed no interest. The principal disputed this claim.
The parents demands were for the principal to step down; failing pupils to be pushed to the next grade; to know why the pass rate was dropping and why the school appeared not to be doing anything about it. Parents also demanded a change in the governing body and a crisis committee to be established. They also wanted someone on the staff to be trained in first aid and for a counsellor to be appointed.
Govender insisted that all his comments remain off the record until he submits a report to the department of education circuit office and then only will he be allowed to comment.
