Parents demand answers as DoE fails to address school violence

CONCERNED parents at Centenary Secondary School, in Asherville, are demanding answers from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (DoE) following multiple violent incidents and alleged mishandling of disciplinary procedures.

- MONISHKA GOVENDER [e-mail]

The department’s failure to attend a scheduled meeting last Thursday at the school, and respond to parents’ concerns, had escalated tensions, while questions about pupil safety remain unaddressed.

The Concerned Parents and Guardians of Centenary Secondary School (CSCPA) - a group formed after an alleged racially-motivated fight at the school on February 4 — was meant to hand over a memorandum to a DoE official at the meeting.

The DoE official was also meant to be present at the school’s internal disciplinary hearing into the February 4 incident.

Kim Pillay, a member of CSCPA, said when they arrived at the school they were told that no DoE representatives were present for parents to address.

“They were supposed to be present but they didn’t show up, nor did they reply to our countless emails. The DoE was at the school on February 7, and promised us answers by March 3. But to date, there has been nothing.

“They are making it difficult for no reason. As parents, we want to be civil in the manner we handled this situation. In the end, we want to ensure the safety of our children,” added Pillay.

The POST also spoke to a distraught parent, who claimed her son was summoned to the disciplinary hearing under the pretence of being a witness.

“Instead he was served a letter for his own disciplinary hearing. This is ridiculous.