The two young boys from Tzaneen were reportedly removed from a local primary school and their story went viral on social media, prompting a donation last Friday.
The plight of the two siblings, Nsovo (9) in Gr 2 and Akani Ngobeni (6) in Gr 1 from JB village, was shared by hundreds of Facebook and WhatsApp users last week.
“My sons came back from school crying. When asked them why they told me teachers removed them from class because they have no school shoes. I was angry, and shocked,” said their father, Country Ngobeni (47).
Ngobeni said he didn’t go to the school to discuss the matter as he took the initiative earlier in the year to inform the teachers he had just relocated to the village and had no money to buy new school uniforms.
He is unemployed, has three children and a wife, and ekes out a living by doing odd jobs in the village. He said he asked the teachers to give him time to raise money to buy new school uniforms for his children.
“They were sympathetic and understanding, so I was shocked when the boys came home saying they were removed from school because they didn’t have the proper school uniform.”
Ngobeni decided to contact Tsakani Mkhari, who runs a local organisation which focuses on changing the lives of impoverished children called Hope Givers Foundation and Mkhari shared his plight on her Facebook page and the story went viral. GTFM current affairs programme picked it up and interviewed the unemployed father.
“After my radio interview, I received many calls from people who pledged to buy school shoes and uniforms for my children. One of the callers delivered the shoes on Friday. I thank God for everything,” said Ngobeni.
He added the new school shoes have brought smiles to his two boys who will be going back to school this week.
“I am very poor, but I love my children so much that I will never allow anyone to trample on their right to education. My children will go back to school, but how many other children are being denied their right to education because their parents are afraid to speak out?” he asked.
Mkhari said she received a call from the school principal who apologised and said the decision to remove the two boys from class was not communicated to her.
She said she became aware of the incident through social media and promised disciplinary action will be taken against the teacher who removed the boys from class.
“While we accept the principal’s apology, we cannot allow children to be denied access to education because of their poor background. When injustices like these happen in our schools, as parents we should stand up and fight. I thank everyone who responded positively after reading my Facebook status, they have touched the lives of two innocent boys,” Tsakani said.
capvoice@nmgroup.co.za
