Effingham Secondary under fire: claims of religious discrimination and dress code violations

'UNLAWFUL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL'

- NADIA KHAN

PARENTS are demanding urgent intervention from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education after Effingham Secondary allegedly barred multiple pupils from entering due to uniform violations, forcing some children to wait unsupervised outside the school gates all day.

Muslim pupils claim religious discrimination, while others cited inconsistent enforcement of the dress code.

The parents alleged that during the first week of school reopening, their children’s lives were endangered as they were forced to return home on foot, or wait outside the school until their transporters arrived in the afternoon.

They said while they understood and respected the code of conduct, it should apply to all pupils.

The mother of a Grade 10 pupil said she had since written a formal complaint to the KZN Department of Education, calling for an intervention.

“The conduct of the school was unlawful and unconstitutional, which resulted in multiple pupils being denied access to education and placed at risk. We have reported it to the Education Department due to the gravity of the violations, the systemic nature of the conduct, and the failure to uphold the constitutional and statutory obligations owed to pupils.”

The mother said last Wednesday, her son and several pupils were refused entry by a security guard, acting on behalf of the school, for various reasons.