RESPONSE LETTER TO THE MEC OF BASIC EDUCATION IN THE WESTERN CAPE Dear Ms Debbie Schafer This is in reply to your letter dated 7 October 2014. We appreciate your prompt response. It is important though to state upfront that we are not satisfied with the response you have given to us. The manner in which your response comes, gives an impression that you were; (i) under pressure to give a response; (ii) emotional; and (iii) did not take sufficient time to read and understand our letter and demands, as well as doing an adequate consultation with your advisers and other parties involved in these matters. It should be stated categorically that we remain unfazed by your threats and that our demands still stand. We want a learning environment in the province that does not allow for students victimization. We will challenge to play a meaningful oversight role. Students cannot suffer; whereas Cosas is around. We still maintain that Cosas is not a Chihuahua dog. Below we will highlight how you have failed to take us into confidence. In your letter, MEC, you have made a lot of dilly-dallying and shilly-shallying; i.e. Cosas makes inferences about matters that have been referred to your office, with no details at all, and allege that you are dragging your feet - only for you to tell us about information sent to your office about the said cases. Stop playing games with us. As to Cosas not appreciating the distinction between Ministry and the WCED, who doesnt know that as the MEC you have an oversight role over the Education department in the province and is the executive authority? We view that as condescending and patronizing, and urge you as the political head with whom the buck stops, to live it out. Let us remind you that the root causes of racism are that some think they are superior to others, and treat others as inferior. That is what we have picked up from what you saying. We were just clearing the air. Below we give you free advice on the cases we forwarded to your office. Vuselela Primary School Learner We brought to your attention that a nine year old had been viciously attacked by her teacher and her wrist was broken. In your defence and that of your department, MEC, you say that you investigated the matter immediately and that the teacher has been charged and will face a disciplinary hearing on 20 October 2014. You make it clear that you and the department you have an oversight role over, have no intentions to suspend the teacher or intervene in a manner that would assist the traumatised victim. At face value, many will be led to believe that you have handled the matter well, and applause you and the department you are overseeing. Unfortunately with us, it just cannot be the case. We want to question the process you followed in your investigation: Was the mother of the child consulted and updated about the process? We think not. Has the interest of the child been prioritized in all of this? We think not. The bond of trust between the child and the teacher has been broken. The child has been physically, emotionally and psychologically abused - we can imagine the suffering she must be going through, every time she has to face the teacher that abused. The learner doesnt only have to go through psychological harm of having to live a totally different lifestyle, forced by the same teacher to depend on her weaker arm to write and do everything else. As doctors have suggested that there are chances that the arm might not work properly again. She also has added distress of having to face her attacker every day in class. We suggested that the teacher be suspended, during investigation, so that the child will not go through further emotional distress, having to face the same teacher every day. Clearly you do not care about the best interest of the learner. We therefore offer advice to you and the department MEC: (a) the child must be placed with a more sympathetic educator, so that the child will be able to build that learner-teacher trust and grow; (b) The child’s medical and other expenses be catered for as it is a child from a disadvantaged family; and (c) The department with your oversight role should properly investigate other cases of victimization in the Vuselela Primary school, and all other schools across the province. Uxolo High School Learner On Xolelwa Kati’s case, we said to you there has been abuse and derision against her by school teachers, and you say to us, there has been no victimization and the case is closed. We say the case will be closed when we say so. We will do further investigation to check whether the victimization is still continuing, and whether she needs further assistance to be ready for exams. We are happy that she is attending the Spring school. We still need to confirm it though. We wish her all the best for the exams. Belgravia High School Learner It is either you have been ill informed on this one or that you are deliberately misleading us, and running away from your responsibility to oversee the department. Why do you fold your arms when a constitutionally enshrined right of Ammar Watson is tempered with, like this? We are not doing research for you and your department, but for the reason that we want the best out of you and your department, we will furnish you with more details on this matter. Sanette Nowers, the director from your department sent Mrs Watson an email that reads: “Dear Mrs Watson unfortunately none of the officials from my office will further investigate your complaint and accusation of victimization.” Should we sit down and watch? Are you going to continue denying that there is victimization of students in the Province? Should we assist the mother to take the matter to court? Explain to us how Ammar’s hair style is violating the code of conduct? The problem here is at the policy level of the department of education in the province. How can you allow for schools in the province to have codes of conduct that permits for victimization of students? An MEC should be able to recognise this aberration, and act on it, not wait for Cosas. We therefore make a humble request to you, MEC, to review codes of conduct for all the schools in the province, detect all irregularities (especially for those ignoring children/learner rights or meant to victimize and inconvenience students), and recommend that they be jettisoned. We want everything in the code of conduct that allows for victimization of students to be discarded. We express our grave concern at the remark that you will exhaust all your energy to protect the image of yourself and the DA government. How about you exhaust the energy and resources to protect our students from further victimization? Your Defend and Deny Approach is not going to solve the issue of students’ victimization; the best interest of students must be prioritized NOW. If needs be, students in the province will make the schools inoperative. Yours faithfully Siphakamise Ngxowa Siphelo Makeleni Provincial Chairperson Provincial Secretary Cosas Western Cape Cosas Western Cape 0737081975 -- Chris Hani would surely be angry that we have moved so slowly to eradicate our racially skewed levels of inequality, and would sympathise with the increasingly angry protests in our workplaces and poor communities.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 05:01:46 +0000
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