Matric dances could be banned
The prayer day focused on key problem areas in schools - drug abuse, deaths, uprising of pupils against educators, teenage pregnancies, disease, crime, corruption and matric examinations.
UTHUNGULU District Director of the Department of Education, David Chonco, says the increasing levels of violence emanating from school matric dances have reached a stage where consideration could be given to ban these functions.
Addressing school principals and church ministers who converged at Dlangezwa High School on Friday for a district prayer day, Chonco said,
‘The reality is that many of the problems we encounter at schools today stem from school matric dance events where learners arrive carrying knives and guns.’
The prayer day focused on key problem areas in schools – drug abuse, deaths, uprising of pupils against educators, teenage pregnancies, disease, crime, corruption and matric examinations.
‘Since August we have seen horrific incidents such as the shooting at Qantayi High School where two pupils lost their lives. In Ekupheleni High School, KwaMthethwa, a pupil was killed by her boyfriend who cut her throat, at Emoyeni Primary in Mtunzini there was stabbing, in Dlamvuzo High School in eSikhaleni a pupil was raped and shot dead and at Zenzelenima Shamase, Mphemba and Ngono high schools teaching was disrupted because of faction fights. A pupil was also stabbed and killed during a drinking spree in the Melmoth CBD.’
Chonco said another issue of concern to the department was the pregnancy rates which was at its peak.
‘We recorded 499 cases of learners falling pregnant while at school, and this figure reflects the period from January to March this year alone.’
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