ALTHOUGH her ancestors gave her permission to continue with her studies, her school principal is allegedly prohibiting her from attending classes.
The 15-year-old grade 10 pupil at Portia Shabangu Secondary School in Tekwane South, Mpumalanga, was allegedly told to finish her initiation process first before she can proceed with her studies.
She told Daily Sun she realised last year that she had a calling when she fell sick. became very sick. and a traditional healer said she should go for initiation.
“I started the process of accepting my calling and also appealed to my ancestors to allow me to continue with my studies and they agreed,” she said.
The pupil said she started getting sick again early this month and had to stay at home to fix some of her ancestral processes.
But last week, the school allegedly told her she can’t continue with classes.
“I’m not allowed to wear my beads or attend school.
“I’m being denied my basic right to education,” she said.
“Last year I was told not to come back to my previous school. I started this new school hoping that I won’t have a problem but now it seems like everyone has a problem with my calling. I’m not willing to repeat this grade or any other grade.”
Her 32-year-old mother said she is hurt. because her daughter didn’t choose her gift.
“I don’t even know if there will be anyone to help me to catch up on what I have missed,” she said
“I went to the school and explained her situation. I didn’t expect the school principal to do this to my child because he is an African man who understands these things,” she said.
. I don’t know what led the principal to take such a decision, “she said
Human Rights Commission spokesman Eric Mokonyama said a child can’t be discriminated against on the basis of her culture.
“She must go back to school immediately,” he said.
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Education spokesman Jasper Zwane said: “The the constitution guarantees the right to education for everyone as such there may be no legitimate reason to deny a child to education. Be that as it may, thedepartment will send an official to bring together all parties to ensure an amicable decision is taken to resolve this matter.”
Traditional healer Madoda Ntuli agreed that the child must focus on school and will undergo her initiation later.
“Regarding this case the school says they advised the parents to allow the child to undergo the initiation process and thereafter return to the school to learn.
