Pupils at an East London school are allegedly operating in gangs, terrorising teachers and their peers, smoking drugs inside the school premises and bragging about their unruly behaviour on social networking sites.
The pupils allegedly operate in about 20 gangs at Qhamani High School in Ncerha village outside East London.
Teachers now fear for their lives as the pupils allegedly swear at them if they try to enforce discipline at the school.
The pupils have allegedly become a law unto themselves and in the past few months, allegedly threatened to torch the principal’s car and threw a cannister of teargas into a classroom and locked the door while there were pupils inside.
There have also been numerous reports of fights breaking out among the pupils.
Provincial education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said: “There are about 20 gangs who are operating in the school and post their actions on social media [platforms] where they brag about it.”
He said after a meeting with affected parties last week, including parents, the school governing body (SGB), the community policing forum (CPF), parents and social workers, the department decided to send a team of school safety officers to the institution to try and rehabilitate the pupils and create a safer learning environment.
School terrorised by pupils: 20 gangs terrorising teachers and smoking dagga within premises
Image: File
Pupils at an East London school are allegedly operating in gangs, terrorising teachers and their peers, smoking drugs inside the school premises and bragging about their unruly behaviour on social networking sites.
The pupils allegedly operate in about 20 gangs at Qhamani High School in Ncerha village outside East London.
Teachers now fear for their lives as the pupils allegedly swear at them if they try to enforce discipline at the school.
The pupils have allegedly become a law unto themselves and in the past few months, allegedly threatened to torch the principal’s car and threw a cannister of teargas into a classroom and locked the door while there were pupils inside.
There have also been numerous reports of fights breaking out among the pupils.
Provincial education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said: “There are about 20 gangs who are operating in the school and post their actions on social media [platforms] where they brag about it.”
He said after a meeting with affected parties last week, including parents, the school governing body (SGB), the community policing forum (CPF), parents and social workers, the department decided to send a team of school safety officers to the institution to try and rehabilitate the pupils and create a safer learning environment.
Call to protect teachers from pupils
According to SGB chair Mbulelo Galada, who also chairs the CPF, the pupils smoke drugs in the toilets during break time.
“After break time, they are no longer pupils – they turn into terrorists,” said Galada.
“They dance on desks, violently confront other pupils and when teachers attempt to reprimand them, they swear at the teacher.”
He said he had lost count of the number of times the forum had to be called to the school.
“They once attempted to burn the principal’s car because they were angry that he had reprimanded them.
“They threw teargas in one of the classes.
“Recently, they locked up a pupil who is a young initiate graduate [ikrwala] in one of the classrooms and beat him because he did not use ‘krwala’ lingo.
“They have taken over this school, we have lost control. The teachers are afraid,” said Galada.
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