Latest news with #educationdepartment
The Herald
4 days ago
- The Herald
Grade 8 pupil arrested in connection with fatal stabbing after school
A an alleged knife crime has forever altered the lives of the families of two grade 8 pupils. The two, from Senzangakhona Secondary School in KwaMhlanga, were en route home after class when one allegedly stabbed the other at about 3pm on Thursday, the Mpumalanga education department said. "Teachers were alerted about the incident by other pupils and immediately rushed to the scene. T hey contacted emergency medical services, who declared the pupil deceased at the site. " The suspect was subsequently apprehended by the police. "The circumstances leading to the tragic event remain unclear and are under investigation by law enforcement authorities." TimesLIVE
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
NSW inquiry into child care told Little Zak's Academy received state funding despite regulation breaches
The owner of a Sydney childcare centre where a child was fed a known and potentially life-threatening allergen has received millions of dollars in state government funding, despite a history of breaching regulations. Little Zak's Academy at Auburn, in the city's west, was found to have broken the law last year when a child "anaphylactic to dairy" was fed milk products, according to education department documents. The documents also show children fell out of their cots and hit their heads after the company's staff failed to properly fit safety rails at a centre in Wollongong in 2022. Last year, a staff member at the same facility held a "struggling, kicking" child on their lap until a colleague shouted at them to "let go", according to the documents. In another breach by Little Zak's Academy last year, in Newcastle, a child was found in a washing machine cupboard after being "inadequately supervised". Greens MP Abigail Boyd raised the cases in a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the childcare sector on Wednesday, pressing Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar on why the operator was awarded funding. "What due diligence does the department do before encouraging providers who have such poor track records?" Ms Boyd asked. Describing the breaches by Little Zak's Academy as "shocking" and "unacceptable", Mr Dizdar said due diligence was done through "regulatory visits". The company, which trades under LT Pty Ltd and LZ Ryde Trust, collected more than $2.9 million in "early childhood education and care grants" in 2023-24, the education department's annual report shows. Little Zak's Academy said in a statement that steps had been taken to prevent future incidents. "As a family company that has been caring for children for 30 years, these incidents should never have happened to any child in our care." Mr Dizdar said services taking too long to lift standards had been "put on notice" by the federal government within the past week and threatened with the loss of funding if they failed to improve. Mark Barraket, the deputy secretary of the education department, told the inquiry the state government was planning to follow suit. "We will be working closely with the Australian government around where they might choose to revoke the childcare subsidy from service," Mr Barraket said. "Should they do that, we will also seek to revoke any 'Start Strong' funding that the NSW government provides to that service as well." Following a review by former deputy NSW Ombudsman Chris Wheeler, triggered by a rise in safety breaches in the sector last year, the government committed to setting up an independent, more powerful regulator. The government has also proposed tougher penalties under national regulations, changes to which it will pitch to education ministers from other states at a meeting next week. If other states do not agree to the changes, the government has indicated it will "go it alone" and legislate stronger laws for centres in NSW.
The Herald
23-05-2025
- The Herald
Parents protest against ‘problem' principal at KZN school
Disgruntled parents protested outside Westville Senior Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, demanding answers after the principal who was suspended resumed duties, allegedly without answering the allegations against him. Parent Judy Galassi said the principal, whose name is known to TimesLIVE and who was appointed in 2022, has racked up about 50 complaints ranging from defamation to financial mismanagement. The sought-after primary school is a popular feeder to boys and girls schools in the area. 'The complaints also involved unofficial use of assets and demeaning comments. I can't give all the details but these are based on statements from teachers,' said Galassi. TimesLIVE understands the headmaster was suspended last year but returned to school recently after the department failed to charge him. Galassi said teachers had followed due process and the complaints were sent to the education department. 'Our teachers are unhappy and we cannot continue to work with him. We demand he is immediately suspended,' said Gallasi. 'If we have not heard feedback by the end of next week, we will take further action,' she said.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- BBC News
Pupil passwords reset after Edinburgh council cyber attack
Edinburgh Council says it has been the target of an attempted cyber in the council's education department spotted a suspicious invitation to a meeting earlier on Friday and realised it was "spear phishing" - which impersonates a trusted source. Parents have been sent texts telling that them students' passwords have been reset as a precaution - meaning pupils studying for exams do not currently have access to their school's learning follows a suspected criminal ransomware cyberattack on schools in West Lothian earlier this week.
