STAFF REPORTER |

THE management of Makgofe High School outside Seshego, Polokwane released their learners on Thursday after many learners were found collapsing due to some unusual occurrence.

According to a learner who’s doing grade 8 at the school, she said that one of their classmate collapsed and started crying out loud.

“A we were seating in class; the teacher was busy. Suddenly there was noise at the back, when I looked back one of my classmate collapsed on the floor. She was creaming out loud and also shaking,” said the student.

She further added that the teacher requested all the learners to go outside of the class.

The school called some of the parents to come and fetch their children while some learners and teachers were told to leave the premises.

The Limpopo Department of Education said that they are looking in to the matter.

The Spokesperson for the department Tidimalo Chuene said that the school reported that 40 learners from various grades displayed “strange behaviour.”

“The school reported that the learners’ behaviour did not resemble any physical illness.  As the department, we still don’t know what caused their fainting or why they fainted. We don’t want to speculate but we are concerned,” Chuene said.

The Spokesperson said the education department will work together with psychosocial experts to assist.

“We will bring the psychosocial experts to assist with the situation, so that teaching and learning can resume,” said Chuene.

–Inside Education

STAFF REPORTER |

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has announced that the applications for the 2023 academic year is currently underway.

The applications opened on the 1st of Match and it will close on the 30th of September 2022.

The Education Department has urged guardians and parents to register their children on time to avoid late registration in January 2023.

“Applications for the 2023 academic year are currently underway from the 1st of March to the 30th of September 202 Apply early to ensure a smooth start to your child’s academic year,” the department said.

The department said parents and guardians must avoid late applications as it hinders the children’s learning.

The provincial MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu said, “as the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, we urge parents to heed this call of early registration of learners.”

He further added that registering children on time will give educators ample time to sharpen the learners’ future.

“This will assist the system, especially our educators to have ample time to sharpen our learners and secure a bright future for them as well as the nation,” said Mshengu.

The department urged parents to enroll learners for entry into grades 1 to 8.

The department encouraged parents and guardians to apply for a minimum of three schools in order to make sure that they secure space for their children.

The department further encouraged guardians and parents to follow up on the progress of the applications three months after submitting.

-Inside Education

KWAZULU-NATAL Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu has promised to appoint an independent panel by Friday that will help deal with racism allegations that have surfaced again at Grosvenor Girls’ High School in Durban.

Last week the classes were disrupted at the school following the alleged racism allegations.

The learners are accusing the teachers of calling them monkeys and other derogatory terms.

The MEC visited the school on Tuesday to speak with learners, the school governing body and the school management.

He has instructed the department’s head of department to appoint the panel.
In 2019 the school was also marred by the same allegations of racism and the MEC said the panel will appoint will help in resolving the issue once and for all.
He acknowledged that the department made a mistake of not appointing an independent panel when the issues of racism surfaced in 2019.

He encouraged students to give their personal accounts to the panel.

“When findings and recommendations are made before us we will act without fear. It is better to get an independent panel,” said Mshengu.

Further, the MEC explained that the department wants to deal with these issues expeditiously and added that he has advised that the panel be given clear time frames with deadlines.

Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) tried to disrupt Tuesday’s meeting and the MEC said it was unfortunate that the party wanted to take the opportunity while the department is trying to work on the issue.

“We will deal with anyone involved in these allegations of racism and maladministration. We are not going to succumb to the pressure from the EFF and cut corners because ultimately if we do that, we will not serve justice to the learners,” he added.

The independent panel will be given 21 days to finish its investigations and the MEC pleaded with learners to allow teaching and learning to continue during that time.

“Learners must be in class so that they don’t lose time in terms of teaching and learning,” he stressed.

-Engineering News