Brewing conflicts besetting the Atlehang Secondary School in Bloemfontein are in the public domain.
It emerged that disputes involve learners, teachers, the principal, and some parents.
The lingering rift has seen five boy learners jointly opened a case of common assault against educators following an alleged incident while at a matric preparation camp at the Phillip Sanders Resort outside Bloemfontein.
Lt. Col Thabo Covane, spokesperson for the police in Mangaung, confirmed the five learners who were accompanied by their parents opened a case of common assault at the Glen Police Station on 28 October.
“It is alleged that on Friday, 27 October, at about 15:30, teachers arrived at the matric camp and suspected that some of the learners were under the influence of intoxicating substance. The teachers then decided to return the learners home,” said Covane.
He said upon the learners’ return home, they went to the police station with their parents to open a case of common assault against the teachers.
Covane said the first case was opened by an 18-year-old boy, followed by four other learners of the same school.
However, no arrest has been made yet.
Howard Ndaba, spokesperson for the Free State Department of Education, said the matter was being investigated to establish facts, adding that parents and all parties concerned were cooperating.
“Appropriate action will be taken once true facts have been established. Learners are supported totally to write exams,” said Ndaba.
He has vehemently denied the allegation that the principal had been present during the alleged assault of learners at the preparatory camp.
“The principal was at the school when the alleged incident happened.
“The learners were never at risk of not writing exams,” said Ndaba.
