Safety challenges persist at Almont Technical School
Ramulifho explained to Urban News that the visit was part of his party’s interest in providing necessary support to all schools.
The DA in Gauteng has expressed concern at the violence, theft, and gangsterism at Altmont Technical School.
Shadow MEC for Education, Khume Ramulifho was set to conduct a follow-up inspection to assess the implementation of the safety intervention strategy at the High School in Protea South however the principal refused to speak to the party, referring them to the district.
The visit comes a few months after a meeting with the school and district officials over continued incidents of violence and gangsterism at the school.
ALSO READ: Local schools battle it out for top spot in rowing
Ramulifho explained to Urban News that the visit was part of his party’s interest in providing necessary support to all schools.
“We thought the principal would be open enough to engage us openly in order to establish if the interventions given to the school were yielding results.
“Based on what we have learnt, it seems the problems are not resolved but we are not sure whether it is the problem at the school level, or district level.”
He cited that the level of criminality and violence was still a concern. Recently, a learner was stabbed at the school toilets last month, while videos surfaced of learners parading with school furniture outside the school premises.
ALSO READ: Gauteng Schools Football Champions League starts
The institution was identified as being part of the 245 schools considered to be high risk for students, according to Ramulifho.
Earlier this month, Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane outlined his department’s action plan for School Safety and Learner Wellbeing.
The measures will ensure heightened action in high risk schools through Operation Kgutla Molao. He said measures set to be implemented included deployment of security guards to 75 schools across Gauteng, hand-held detectors to help with screening for weapons, CCTV camera installations as well as distribution of E-panic buttons to more than 3 000 staff in the 245 schools.
Ramulifho said while this was a positive step, the MEC needed to foster a working relationship between the school management, school governing body (SGB), and district officials. He cited lack of leadership at the school as contributing to the ongoing challenges.
ALSO READ: Spring Day to introduce sports in local schools
“From the Department’s perspective, to acknowledge that this is a challenge is a step in the right direction but what we need is ownership from the leadership at the school level.
“School discipline depends on the leadership and management of the school. Any properly led school, there’s leadership and management who are prepared to engage openly with stakeholders to mitigate these challenges.”
DA Protea South Activist, Maureen Minisi slammed the principal’s decision to not engage with them as lack of transparency from the school. Minisi said she suspected there could be intimidation tactics at play, which prevented the principal from speaking.
