Online registration system aims to destroy schools’ Afrikaans character – FF+

The Freedom Front Plus believes that the Gauteng education department’s online school registration system should be investigated, saying it is aimed at destroying the “Afrikaans character” of some schools.

“The FF Plus is convinced that the system is not functioning properly and that it was created with the aim of changing Afrikaans schools’ demography by means of artificial manipulation and so destroy these schools’ Afrikaans character,” said the party’s national chairperson, advocate Anton Alberts.

He said a complaint was lodged with the public protector.

“Last year in the Gauteng legislature, the FF Plus addressed probing questions about the system in writing to Lesufi and his department. Interestingly enough, it seems that these questions were not replied to last year and so the party will submit them again this year.

“The FF Plus plans to launch various actions this year to improve the Gauteng school system and to neutralise Lesufi’s political influence,” Alberts said.

Alberts pointed out that thousands of pupils haven’t been placed.

“It is clear that the system is just creating chaos and, thus, the province should [go back] to using the previous system where parents themselves had to apply for their children to be placed at the school of their choice.”

He said parents were worried that their children wouldn’t be placed at the right schools, seeing that placements would only be finalised by Wednesday.

When addressing the media, Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said he was aware of a statement the FF Plus released but added that he would not dwell on the matter.

Lesufi said the online process was exposing the “underutilisation” of some schools in the province.

He said there were some schools in Gauteng that did not want to accept some pupils and the problem at hand was parents’ preferences.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.