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Soweto education will not be compromised

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:09

The Soweto Education Summit task team has recommitted to the spirit of the Soweto Summit declaration, and affirmed that the education of Soweto learners will not be compromised.

The task team held a meeting on Monday, which was organised by the Gauteng Department of Education, to discuss recent school disruptions in Meadowlands High; threats that have been made in the public domain to disrupt the preliminary exams and a wildcat teachers’ strike in Soweto.

In February, the provincial department suspended Meadowlands High School principal, Moss Senye, following his appearance in court for allegedly assaulting a learner.

However, last week, Soweto teachers allegedly gave the department two weeks to reinstate Senye or face a wildcat strike.

During the meeting on Monday, all organisations distanced themselves from last week’s school disruptions and from irresponsible calls to disrupt education and the preliminary exams in the province.

During the education summit held in April to address on-going instability and underperformance in Soweto schools, the stakeholders declared that the education of Soweto children will no longer be compromised.

They also committed to ensuring that the provision of quality education in the classroom shall be sole priority of the community, school governors, educators, principals and learners every day.

Education spokesperson Charles Phahlane said the meeting on Monday discussed recent events and threats to Soweto school education in a frank and robust manner.

“The task team also agreed that it would convene again next week to assess the climate of learning and teaching in Soweto and deal timeously with any challenges identified,” said Phahlane.

The meeting was attended by various provincial organisations, including South African Council of Churches, Soweto Ministers Fraternal, Methodist Church South Africa, Congress of South African Students, South African National Civics Organisation, ANC Johannesburg Region, South African Communist Party, South African Democratic Teachers Union, National Association of School Governing Bodies, National Association of Parents in School Governance and the MK Military Veterans Association. - BuaNews