The Parents for Equal Eduction (PEESA), an advocacy group for parents to form part of decision making when it comes to the education of children, has called for investigations into six schools in the Breede Valley, as well as the suspension of a Western Cape Education district director.
PEESA was established in August of 2019, in the peak of the pandemic, when the Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, announced that schools will reopen.
Vanessa le Roux, founder and co-ordinator of PEESA, says she was contacted by the Breede Valley Education Forum a month prior to the protest over six schools, namely Vusisizwe Secondary School, Nuwe Hoop Sentrum, Avian Park Primary School, Langerugskool, Breede Valley School of Skills and Winelands Primary. The group also called for the suspension of district director Juan Benjamin.
“There were serious allegations of financial mismanagement, improper interference in governance by certain principals, which includes the appointment of teachers and the disregard of the roles of the SGB,” says Le Roux.
The memorandum, made available to the media but not yet handed over to the WCED, alleges that the Breede Valley School of Skills has no curriculum and qualification for the learners. According to allegations in the memorandum there is poor management of the school in terms of teacher appointments and further that finances of the school are controlled by one individual, who allegedly “is not transparent”.
Vusisizwe Secondary School is currently being investigated regarding allegations of “corruption and mismanagement of funds”. Parents are still awaiting the outcome of the forensic investigation.
At Nuwe Hoop Sentrum, forensic reports for the years 2015/16 and 2018/19 are still outstanding and the delay from the department is causing animosity among staff members. According to the memorandum, the school is operating with four bank accounts. The school hostels are allegedly “under poor management as children are assaulted verbally” by a certain staff member at the hostel.
Allegations against Langerugskool are racially inclined as the memorandum alleges that it accommodates mostly white children. The group demands that the school be open to all races.
The decision by Avian Park Primary School to phase isiXhosa out has left parents unhappy. By doing so, it means that the 40% isiXhosa speaking learners at the school need to attend schools in Zwelethemba, which is almost far away from the community. The forum demands that the rights of learners to be taught in their mother tongue be upheld and the decision of the school to be reversed.
At Winelands Primary School, there are allegations of unauthorised expenditure. It is alleged that there is no transparency in the appointment of staff as “there are signs of nepotism”. The forum demands that those who violate the policy and legislation that governs schools, be brought to book by suspending them pending a full investigation.
The forum and parents called for the suspension of Benjamin, as set out in their memorandum, as frustration has built up over some time and parents feel they are not being heard.
Speaking on how far Le Roux has gotten in their quest to fix these schools she says: “I already had my first informal meeting with Mr Benjamin, where I raised the community’s concerns with him. It was a very positive meeting and in the coming weeks all of us will go to the table to address these issues, find solutions for it and start working on a positive working relationship between the department and the community. Both Mr Benjamin and the forum showed a willingness to start the engagements. At this point I will play the mediator role in the engagements and I am extremely hopeful and confident due to the willingness from both stakeholders that we are moving in the right direction. That can only benefit the education of our children.”
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the WCED, confirmed they have not yet received the memorandum. “We believe this will be handed over to us formally next week. We have seen, however, what we believe to be draft of the memorandum handed to us by the media a few weeks ago – we are not sure if it is the same memorandum that they have drawn up,” says Hammond.
She further related that should the contents of the memorandum be the same, the issues raised have either been investigated or are currently under investigation. The claims that the district has not dealt with the concerns raised are unfounded,” she added.
“Regarding whether we are suspending the District Director – the answer is no. We will study the contents of the memorandum – once received – and determine whether there are any interventions that still require attention.”
