Stabbed teacher returns to school as frustrated parents demand solutions

A school is fighting to restore pride after a teacher was stabbed, while those on the inside feel their efforts are weighed down by government control.  

Hoërskool Die Burger has been plagued by disciplinary issues, crumbling infrastructure and a community fighting its own socio-economic battles.

In the second violent incident in the space of a few weeks, a male teacher was stabbed by a grade 8 pupil who was angered by alleged comments about his posture in class.

Stabbed teacher returns

The grade 8 pupil allegedly stabbed the teacher with a switchblade on his first day of school after arriving from the Western Cape.

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has been monitoring the school, instructing both teachers and pupils to return to class.

At the end of last week, teachers refused to teach until they were addressed by senior officials, while pupils refused to go back to class until their safety concerns were met.

Pupils used social media to call for a strike on Monday, but that subsided as relative calm returned to the school at the beginning of the new week.

Teachers handed a list of their demands to a member of the provincial community safety portfolio committee on Friday and are expecting feedback by the end of this week.

The teacher who was stabbed returned to class on Monday, while his attacker is believed to be eligible to return on Wednesday.

Teachers trying their best

An insider, who stressed the need for anonymity for fear of reprisal by the GDE, told The Citizen how staff are attempting to give pupils a platform for success.

The school achieved an improved 97.1% matric pass rate in 2024, while three of the school’s athletes this year progressed to the provincial athletic championships.  

“Even though we are a fee-paying school, parents do not pay fees and learners come from very poor communities,” the source said.

“[We are] in our derelict classrooms with little to no facilities and no support from the community or the department of education,” the source added.

Despite several changes in leadership since 2020, the school’s downward trajectory has not been halted.

Since 2022, the provincial government has been aware of the decay within the school, with several inspections yielding limited results.

The Citizen was told that disciplinary standards had plummeted since 2020 and that improving the school’s infrastructure – including a collapsed hall – is done on a priority basis.

School violence increasing

The school governing body (SGB) held a meeting on Saturday morning where “emotions ran high” between parents and school representatives.

Parents complained about a lack of communication, a lack of support from the GDE and safety and security issues caused by the department using the school as a “dumping ground for delinquents”.

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Violence in schools has previously been addressed by the GDE, which in late 2024 identified 245 schools in the province that were considered high risk.

Education MEC Matome Chiloane said gangsterism and bullying is rife in these schools, adding that perpetrators are becoming more violent.

“They know, if I am not part of a gang, it means I am outside and I am most likely to be attacked and abused,” said Chiloane during a regional imbizo.

“It’s the degree of violence that is being utilised. Now, the way they fight is a matter of life and death. The punishment they inflict on each other is a big problem,” Chiloane added.

Feedback from GDE wanted

GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said police are a regular presence at high-risk schools. He, however, asked parents to do more.

“These children come from society and if they are not disciplined at home, they will then be ill-disciplined at our schools,” Mabona told eNCA on Friday.

“If parents are not assisting us to make sure their children are disciplined, it becomes a challenge,” he added.

At Saturday’s SGB meeting, the frustration of parents was used as fuel to find solutions for the school.

They requested improved security, regular searches of pupils and the removal of gang graffiti, which marks large portions of the school

The large grounds, which boast prime facilities, need maintenance. The parents floated the idea of mowing the lawns themselves.  

The GDE has offered counselling to school staff, but teachers are still waiting for official feedback on the demands around their immediate safety.

“Generally, the tone is good and conducive to learning. The educators are a bit apprehensive as they are unsure of the way forward,” the source confirmed on Monday.

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