Close to 100 matric repeaters have been turned away from an Eastern Cape school at the beginning of the new academic year.
Scores of pupils from Thembalabantu Senior Secondary School, situated just metres from the provincial education headquarters in Zwelitsha, hoped to return to the classroom for another chance at passing Grade 12.
School principal Koko Funda said he had no choice but to turn them away due to space constraints.
Of the 170 matriculants who sat for the final exams last year, only 79 had passed, while 139 Grade 11 pupils moved up a grade.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced a “second chance” programme during the release of the 2015 matric results in Pretoria earlier this month.
In the Eastern Cape, four schools were named as pilot sites for the “second chance” programme.
They were David Mama and Greenpoint High Schools in East London and St Johns College and Milton Mbekela Senior Secondary School in Mthatha.
Funda said he had consulted with the senior leadership of the department before his decision.
He said the school’s matric pass rate had dropped by 16.6 percentage points from 63% in 2014 to 46.5% last year. Department of Basic Education (DBE) spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said registration for repeaters across provinces closed on Wednesday last week.
“Classes are scheduled to begin in the first week in February. Provinces are finalising the numbers in order to finalise teachers required.
He said repeaters under the age of 21 years would be allowed to return to their schools to repeat.
Mhlanga would not be drawn into commenting on those who were turned away, saying it depended on available space.
Sadtu provincial administrator Chris Mdingi said Motshekga’s department had not consulted with the union about the programme.
He said the national executive committee of Sadtu was scheduled to meet in Pretoria yesterday where the programme would be among items discussed.
“We plead with school principals not to turn away these children. They have nowhere to go. We cannot just throw their future into the bin.
“The minister takes unilateral decisions and the MECs will at times say this. As things are, this is just grandstanding and cheap politicking.” — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
No place for matric repeaters in full classrooms
Scores of pupils from Thembalabantu Senior Secondary School, situated just metres from the provincial education headquarters in Zwelitsha, hoped to return to the classroom for another chance at passing Grade 12.
School principal Koko Funda said he had no choice but to turn them away due to space constraints.
Of the 170 matriculants who sat for the final exams last year, only 79 had passed, while 139 Grade 11 pupils moved up a grade.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga announced a “second chance” programme during the release of the 2015 matric results in Pretoria earlier this month.
In the Eastern Cape, four schools were named as pilot sites for the “second chance” programme.
They were David Mama and Greenpoint High Schools in East London and St Johns College and Milton Mbekela Senior Secondary School in Mthatha.
Funda said he had consulted with the senior leadership of the department before his decision.
He said the school’s matric pass rate had dropped by 16.6 percentage points from 63% in 2014 to 46.5% last year. Department of Basic Education (DBE) spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said registration for repeaters across provinces closed on Wednesday last week.
“Classes are scheduled to begin in the first week in February. Provinces are finalising the numbers in order to finalise teachers required.
He said repeaters under the age of 21 years would be allowed to return to their schools to repeat.
Mhlanga would not be drawn into commenting on those who were turned away, saying it depended on available space.
Sadtu provincial administrator Chris Mdingi said Motshekga’s department had not consulted with the union about the programme.
He said the national executive committee of Sadtu was scheduled to meet in Pretoria yesterday where the programme would be among items discussed.
“We plead with school principals not to turn away these children. They have nowhere to go. We cannot just throw their future into the bin.
“The minister takes unilateral decisions and the MECs will at times say this. As things are, this is just grandstanding and cheap politicking.” — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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