SATU accuses Boys High’s SGB of mismanagement

The South African Teachers’ Union (SATU) has released a media statement, expressing their concern at the mismanagement of Potchefstroom Boys High School under the current school governing body (SGB). They accuse them of neglecting their duties, not only costing the school millions but harming the well-being of the learners.

According to the statement last year, the assistance of the Department of Education in the province was called in. Members of the integrated governance support services (IGSS), Mr Molefe, Mr Seleka, and Mrs I Mogaki investigated and promised to report back to the school in November 2020. The school hasn’t received any feedback to address the problem since then.

After a thorough investigation, the operational director of SATU, Mr Johan Kruger, released a statement with serious allegations against the SGB. “These allegations have also been communicated to the North West Department of Education,” says Kruger.

One of the allegations against the SGB is that they employ incompetent teachers without budgeting for them. The SGB re-employed a teacher without an SGB post available. The teacher had the worst results in the school’s history – the Grade 12 learners only had a 61 per cent pass rate and not one learner achieved more than 50 per cent in that subject. The same teachers’ contracts will be renewed in 2021, without budgeting for them. Since March 2020, a disciplinary hearing was requested for one of these educators but, to date, the SGB hasn’t provided a date.

The media statement also reveals that the SGB doesn’t arrive for interviews with applicants for teaching positions. This happened after the initial interviews were postponed less than 24 hours before they were scheduled. A matron’s post was also advertised in March 2020, yet the interviews only took place in December 2020 and the learners had to do without a matron for nearly a year.

According to Kruger, budget planning is not on the agenda of the SGB. With the onset of Covid-19, the initial budget had to be adjusted. After three attempts, and only one SGB member attempting to join the meeting, the budget remained the same.

The bursar was suspended in March 2020 and still has not had her hearing. Because of this, taxes and UIF have not been paid since March 2020. “The staff are working without contracts. The headmaster has no idea what was spent on the school budgets and no budget was drawn up for 2021. The SGB refuses to sign the school’s 2019 audit report, without giving a reason.

“Since 2019, the SGB had cost the school nearly R2 million from mismanagement. The projection for this year is another R1 million”, says Kruger who also confirms that the SGB rejects all the suggestions and guidance from the headmaster and follows its own agenda.

According to him, the SGB is failing the school and the school can’t rely on them: “According to the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996, the governance and professional management of public schools is vested in its governing body and it may perform only such functions and obligations and exercise only such rights as prescribed by the Act. The Act furthermore, states in section 16(3) that the professional management of a public school [SGB] must be undertaken by the principal, under the authority of the head of the department.

When the Herald approached Rantekane Kgoadi, the SGB chairperson of Boys High, on the allegations, he stated “We wish to express our disappointment at SATU’s approach, which completely lacks consultation with us [SGB] on matters affecting their members and workers. The lack of consultation undermines the essence of our existence in the school and discourages the maintenance of labour peace in the school.”

Kgoadi said the allegations are noted, but the SGB will not respond to the broad claims against them. “The omission to respond should not be construed as an admission of any of the allegations. We, therefore, invite all organised labour and social partners to arrange a formal meeting with the SGB.” By the time of going to print the department of Education did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.