Parents must work with us – Steenkamp on suspension of 47 pupils

The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has voiced support for a school principal who has suspended 47 pupils over untidy books.

Executive director of education, arts and culture Sanet Steenkamp says the mninistry does not want to set a precedent, but supports this move.

The newly appointed principal of People’s Primary School, Elsandra Skrywer, last week suspended the pupils for two days over a range of issues.

This included untidy and lost books, homework that was not done and missing school materials.

“It was unorthodox, yes and we don’t want a precedent to be set, but we want parents to work with us,” Steenkamp said yesterday.

She said the school has a code of conduct, a disciplinary system, and a functional school board, which the principal invited to a meeting and informed of the decision to suspend the 47 pupils.

Steenkamp said the midterm break will be used for the involved parents to ensure their children’s school materials are in order.

“If this is a way to get parents to school for discussions, to get parents involved in the education of their children, to get parents to accept responsibility and liability for any damage to all loss of school property, then we say that continued discussions must happen between the school principal and the parents,” she said.

Steenkamp said there is no affordability issue as the government is providing children with school materials.

She said parents must ensure their children take care of these materials.

47 pupils suspended over untidy books 

“We want every child to have access to learning materials. I will never, as long as I’m an accounting officer, allow children to be disadvantaged,” she said.

Steenkamp said Skrywer acted according to the Basic Education Act 3 of 2020.

“I am of the firm belief that the principal, when she carried out the suspension, acted according to Section 23 of the Basic Education Act, which states that a principal at a state school may suspend before or even after a misconduct charge.

“In this case, parents were invited to come to the school and have discussions,” she said.

So far only one pupil has not returned to the school, pending a meeting with the school.

“We are positive that the school board and the parents will ensure these pupils return to school as soon as possible. As per the act also, the parent of a pupil is liable for any damage to or loss of school property.

“That includes school books and textbooks, which cost hundreds of dollars,” Steenkamp said.

Skrywer last week said after a month of being appointed, she conducted an inspection to monitor how pupils were preparing for external examinations.

“When I went to the Grade 7s’ classroom, I was shocked to discover that some of the students were without school books or incomplete books,” she said.

According to Skrywer, it is unacceptable for pupils to go to school without their schoolbooks – especially close to the end of the year.