Angry parents lock school’s gate

MAKOKO – Back-to-school excitement for Livelethu Primary learners was short-lived. They arrived at a locked gate, surrounded by burning tyres and protesting community members on Monday morning.

The innocent children had to wait outside the gate not knowing what to do, while parents demanded urgent intervention by the Department of Education.

The angry parents told Mpumalanga News that they were not happy with the appointment of the new principal, who was due to start work on that day.

Their problem arose after the previous principal had retired in December last year and the department deployed a teacher from another school, even though there was an HOD who had worked with the previous principal since 1992.

“What infuriates us is that a mere teacher who has never been in any management position was deployed here and we know very well of the corruption surrounding the appointment of principals, but we say not in this school.

If the department does not come and explain what happened here, this school will remain closed,” said an angry
Mr William Matsebula.

The community members demand that the department appoint the HOD, who has been serving the school for the past 23 years, as the new principal. It has been said that not even the school governing body (SGB) was consulted about the new appointment.

“When we confronted the SGB to find out how they could have allowed the department to go ahead with the appointment, they said that they were not consulted and knew nothing about it,” continued Matsebula.

He added that the SGB held a meeting on Sunday where it was decided that the school would stay closed until the department intervened. When Mpumalanga News spoke to the chairperson, Mr Vusi Mbuyane, he said he would not address the media until he had spoken to a delegate from the department.

He siad that he did not know the new principal and had never met him.
“As you can see for yourself, the school gate is locked, there is fire and children are not allowed inside, but the reason is just a speculation.

I have just reported the matter to the department and until they get here, I’m not allowed to say anything to the media,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the department Mr Gerald Sambo said that the department had appointed the principal by following due process which was based on the recommendations by the panel which included the SGB.

“In any advertised post, interviews must be conducted and all candidates must be given an equal opportunity” Sambo added that the department would convene a meeting with parties concerned in an attempt to resolve the matter.

At the time of going to press the school gates were still locked and the children not attending classes. No meeting had yet been convened.