TEACHING got off to a rocky start when angry parents and pupils started a protest outside Sivananda Technical High School in KwaMashu, north of Durban, yesterday.
They were demanding that the principal leave the school immediately.
The parents accused the principal of causing division among the teachers, which had resulted in pupils being upset.
They also accused the principal of not recording all the money and of mismanagement of funds at the school.
They also claimed the principal didn’t allow the SGB to change for a very long time.
Parent Zandile Shange told Daily Sun they noticed transactions were not recorded when the old SGB was disbanded earlier this year.
She said there were a lot of things they were not aware of because the old SGB had kept them away from parents.
“Our children came home with work they were not taught in class. When the new SGB started, we discovered there were divisions in the school.”
She said there were two camps – the one in favour of the principal and the one against.
“The principal’s camp sat in the classrooms without teaching, and nothing was done. They gave pupils work they didn’t teach,” said Shange.
“We are not teachers, so we don’t know the work. The camp that is against the principal worked hard.”
Another parent said the principal didn’t record all the money at the school.
“We want him investigated. But even if he is found not guilty, we still don’t want him in this school.”
KZN Education spokesman Muzi Mahlambi confirmed there was a disturbance at the school after parents locked the gate, demanding the removal of the principal on allegations of mismanagement of funds and a deterioration of a culture of learning.
“We dispatched a circuit manager who was able to negotiate with the parents.
“The school is operating well. We are attending to the matters.”
KZN cop spokeswoman Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed there was a protest at a school in KwaMashu.
“Police attended to the scene and the matter was resolved by the department,” said Gwala.
