A STORM is brewing at an Afrikaans-medium school in Kirkwood after the Department of Education appointed a teacher from the Transkei against the wishes of the school governing body.
The teacher, who was recently sent an appointment letter by the La Trobe Primary School, does not know the Afrikaans language at all.
In a fit of rage, parents closed down the school and chased away teachers and pupils on Monday and yesterday, demanding a quick solution.
Ward councillor Hendry Jantjies, who was roped in at the last minute to defuse the situation, said the school governing body had proposed and recommended Charmaine Koeberg for the position, but “the department recommended someone from the Transkei”.
He said the teacher had been “furnished with an appointment letter against the wishes of the governing body. That is why the parents are angry. This is an Afrikaans-medium school, but the teacher can‘t speak Afrikaans at all.
“Last week we engaged with the department to sort out these differences. Its candidate choice is not the wish of the community. Apparently the teacher is originally from Uitenhage, but she was deployed to the Transkei.”
He said the teacher wanted to use La Trobe Primary to get closer to Uitenhage because “once she gets a post at a school in Uitenhage, she will leave us; that‘s why she‘s interested in La Trobe”.
Governing body chairman Angela Bans said: “I can‘t say anything at the moment because nothing has been finalised. We are doing our best to intervene in this issue. Schooling will continue on Wednesday (today).”
Acting principal Matthew Raymond confirmed the school would be open today. “The department will come back to us after seven days.”
Provincial department spokesman Loyiso Pulumani was not available for comment.
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