Gauteng education responds to school scandals
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has addressed a series of concerns involving Unity Secondary School in Daveyton, a fire incident at Riverlea High School, and challenges in funding for Schools of Specialisation (SoS).
The department on Monday acknowledged allegations that teaching posts were being sold at Unity Secondary School.
The case dates back to a 2024 complaint alleging that a R17 000 deposit was made into a teacher's account in exchange for employment.
'The implicated teacher denied any involvement, and with no further cooperation from the complainant, the matter was closed due to a lack of evidence,' the GDE said.
The department also responded to claims that parents were forced to pay R450 for student report cards.
It said this was 'a voluntary donation, agreed upon at the Annual General Meeting', which aligns with Section 37(1) of the South African Schools Act.
Complaints about the School Governing Body's (SGB) financial practices prompted a governance intervention in April.
'All SGB members were granted access to the school's financial statements, and communication structures were strengthened,' said the GDE.
ALSO READ: Education minister calls on all roleplayers to help kids' kids bullying
Decline in pass rates and staffing shortages
The department acknowledged a decrease in the school's matric pass rate from 98% in 2020 to 86% in 2024.
In response, it has rolled out teacher development programmes and learner support through the Secondary School Intervention Programme (SSIP).
Staffing shortages remain an issue.
'The school currently has two vacant departmental head (DH) posts and one vacant deputy principal post,' the statement confirmed.
A mid-year appointment is expected for the deputy principal position.
ALSO READ: Discipline and learning collapse at Wordsworth High School
Riverlea High fire under investigation
Riverlea High School sustained significant infrastructure damage after a fire broke out on 27 April.
Investigations by the South African Police Service (Saps) forensic unit are ongoing.
While five mobile classrooms were delivered to reduce disruptions, the department confirmed that 'no expenditures to report at this time' for the R2.5 million repair plan.
The school had limited fire safety infrastructure, and the last fire safety inspection was not recorded before the incident.
Fire blankets and basic firefighting training were introduced after the fire, and further collaboration with emergency services is planned for later this year.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: Second blaze destroys 11 Riverlea High School classrooms
Specialisation schools face budget constraints
Funding for SoS schools has been reduced due to broader budgetary constraints.
However, the department said it 'continues to pay salaries for all state-employed educators and supports infrastructure costs, excluding minor maintenance.'
The GDE reiterated that schools can supplement resources through fundraising.
'Any additional needs are to be addressed through the school's fundraising initiatives,' the statement read.
The department urged collaboration with SGBs and stakeholders to improve accountability and learning outcomes.
'These issues are being attended to with the necessary diligence,' it said.
NOW READ: School in south of Joburg rocked by sexual harassment claims
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Tshwane Metro Police chief under scrutiny for alleged 'cash gift'
Tshwane Metro Police chief, Commissioner Yolande Faro, is under investigation for failing to declare a substantial sum of money received from an unnamed businessperson. Image: Supplied/City of Tshwane Tshwane Metro Police Department chief, Commissioner Yolande Faro, is embroiled in allegations that she failed to declare a substantial amount of cash as a gift from some wealthy individuals. The allegations came to light during a July 31 council meeting at Tshwane House, where councillors discussed the matter behind closed doors due to the confidential nature of employer-employee disciplinary actions. It is alleged that Faro and her team of senior officials were invited to a festival in Sun City Resort, North West province, in February, accompanied by their spouses. They were allegedly given a huge amount of money estimated to be between R400,000 to R450,000 on their way back to Pretoria. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The allegations have since been brought to the attention of the council, which has asked City Manager Johann Mettler to write a letter to Faro, allowing her seven to eight days to respond and explain why she should not face charges. Hannes Coetzee, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Safety, said the council was previously unaware of the allegations against Faro but stressed that the city takes corruption claims seriously. 'A report was presented to council in an in-committee meeting, and it was decided that the city manager would write a letter to that specific person. I think the city is currently awaiting a response, and then the report will be brought back to council. If necessary, based on the report, council will then ask for an external investigation,' he said. Asked to clarify whether she received a cash gift, and if the funds were properly declared, Faro referred media questions to a municipal spokesperson. Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the city is currently undergoing 'internal review processes' regarding the matter of the trip. 'We are committed to ensuring full accountability and transparency and the appropriate internal mechanisms will follow due course. We appeal for the space to conclude this process responsibly and reiterate our commitment to ethical governance and upholding the integrity of the administration,' he said. Faro, who was the former Nelson Mandela Bay metro police chief from 2016 to 2022, has also been accused of misrepresenting her qualifications at the time of her appointment two years ago. A message circulating on WhatsApp claimed that allegations are serious and warrant thorough investigation to determine if it is true that she misrepresented her qualifications. Mashigo said the city notes with concern the recent circulation of baseless allegations, many of which amount to unfounded rumour-mongering. 'We urge the public to exercise caution and responsibility when engaging with information that lacks a factual basis. In particular, the claims regarding the chief of police's qualifications are completely without merit. The city categorically dismisses these allegations and affirms that the appointment was made in compliance with competency requirements,' he said. Faro's appointment was approved despite criticism from the EFF that she lacked experience to manage a department as big as the Tshwane metro police. According to her curriculum vitae, she possesses a national police diploma, traffic national diploma, a bachelor of technology degree in policing and has vast experience in safety and security.
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Westonaria primary school under fire over corporal punishment allegations
A parent has come forward with disturbing claims that her three children were subjected to corporal punishment at Laerskool Venterpos Primary in Westonaria – including being beaten with a cricket bat and PVC pipes – prompting the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to launch a formal investigation. Randfontein Herald reports that according to the parent, her son returned home at around 09:00 one morning, having walked home from school after he was beaten on the hands with a cricket bat. He told her his fingers were broken. Mother claims she was threatened by principal Shocked by this, she immediately returned to the school and informed the principal that she intended to open a case. The parent alleges she was then thrown out of the school and further claims the principal threatened to expel her two other children, who are still enrolled there. 'As a parent, I am not allowed to hit my children, so who gives a teacher the right to do so?' she questioned. Repeated incidents despite previous complaint The parent stated this was not the first incident. When she first became aware of corporal punishment at the school, she approached the principal, who reportedly called in five teachers. The parent said all five admitted to the punishment and promised to stop – but the abuse allegedly continued. Investigation is under way In response to these allegations, GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that an investigation into the alleged use of corporal punishment is currently underway. 'We take the safety of all our learners very seriously, and as such, necessary disciplinary action will be taken accordingly, pending the outcome of the investigations. 'We condemn any form of assault on learners in schools, as corporal punishment is outlawed by the Constitution and the South African Schools Act [84 of 1996].' Support team dispatched to school Mabona explained that such cases are referred to the department's labour relations unit for thorough investigation, counselling and consequence management. 'Furthermore, we appeal to our educators to refrain from all types of misconduct and focus on learning and teaching. Educators should lead by example to ensure that learners mirror their conduct in creating a safe school environment, conducive to effective learning and teaching.' The department has also dispatched its psycho-social support team to the school to provide the necessary support. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
Video: 5 learners arrested after classrooms burnt at Krugersdorp school
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has confirmed that a fire which destroyed two classroom containers at Thuto-Lefa Secondary School in Munsieville, Krugersdorp, may be linked to learner dissatisfaction over a change to the exam timetable. According to Krugersdorp News, police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. 'Subsequently, five learners were arrested [four in Grade 10 and one in Grade 9],' says departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona. 'According to information at our disposal, the fire broke out on the school premises on Wednesday afternoon, August 6. It is alleged that the incident may be linked to learner dissatisfaction with recent timetable changes introduced by the school. The objective of this adjustment is to ensure the completion of the academic syllabus and to provide adequate revision time ahead of upcoming preliminary examinations,' he adds. Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane strongly condemns the incident. 'Burning a classroom is not a form of protest; it is a criminal act that robs learners of their right to quality education. We will not tolerate such destructive behaviour, and those responsible must face the full consequences of the law,' Chiloane says. Mabona adds that the department would work with the school and relevant stakeholders to ensure learning continues with minimal disruption. 'Officials will assess the damage and will implement immediate interventions, including the possible deployment of temporary infrastructure,' he concludes. No injuries were reported, but the fire caused significant damage. Watch the video: Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
