Schools in the South refuse ActionSA entry to the premises
The schools in question are Inkululeko Yesizwe Primary School, Moses Maren Mission Technical Training Secondary School and Olifantsvlei Primary School.
ActionSA’s Thank Our Heroes campaign was met with hostility in Eikenhof and Vlakfontein when they were refused entry to the premises of three schools on March 10.
The schools are Inkululeko Yesizwe Primary School, Moses Maren Mission Technical Training Secondary School and Olifantsvlei Primary School.
ActionSA said all prior arrangements were met and the schools agreed to receive Order of the Patriot certificates of appreciation; however, when they visited the schools a different story unfolded.
John Moodey from ActionSA said at Inkululeko Yesizwe Primary, the protocol was followed and the school was ready to accept the award of appreciation and suddenly they said the principal was too busy to meet them.
“A South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) representative arrogantly asked who is in charge. He was trying to intimidate us. He told us we need to phone and ask for permission. In fact, all that was done.
“These are impoverished schools that really need support. I recall about 12 years ago coming to Moses Maren Mission Technical Training Secondary School in my previous political party, the school was dilapidated and we fought for them to be renovated and enjoy decent facilities.
“At the end of the day, we are recognising school teachers for sacrificing and continuing to give our children education so that they can have a future even though it looks bleak.”
President of ActionSA Herman Mashaba noted that one of their co-values at ActionSA is education revolution.
“I’ve made it abundantly clear and I’m not apologetic to anyone that principals of schools are going to be appointed by government and we are going to reintroduce school inspectors. And I blame SADTU for 80 per cent of public schools’ dysfunctionality. They are aware of it; I’m not going to retract it,” said Mashaba.
“We want South Africa to know we are not asking for favours from them. They have destroyed millions of black youth and we are campaigning to take them out so that our schools are run by professional principals not appointed by them,” he said.
SADTU’s media officer, Nomusa Cembi, said according to the regional leadership of SADTU, they have not sanctioned such action.
“Mashaba’s utterances do not come as a surprise, he has a hangover from the DA days because he is mimicking the DA. SADTU can’t be blamed for the functionality of schools as we are not in charge of deployment of resources to schools, such as when teachers teach in overcrowded classrooms,” she said.
