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The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education today concluded its oversight programme to schools in the Northern Cape ending up being “utterly disappointed” with the absence of the MEC for Education and his Head of Department (HOD).
 
Committee Chairperson Ms Joy Maimela said the committee needed responses from these senior people in authority. “We are disappointed. We feel disrespected that these senior officials and accounting officers did not attend.
 
“We resolved to call the (provincial) minister and the HOD. We are extremely unhappy with their absence.”
 
The committee today visited Duineveld Hoërskool in Upington that made the news last month when a video went viral on social media of a learner repeatedly using the k-word. Four other learners were visible in the video. It was confirmed that the learner is from Hoërskool Duineveld in the Northern Cape. In the video that has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, the pupil and three others join a live TikTok chat with a man identified as content creator @UncleSeeno, calling him a "k*****" and a n*****".
 
Ms Maimela said the committee felt the sanctions of the disciplinary hearing was too light. “We are further shocked that the learner demographics at this school does not speak to the demographics of Upington. The area has much more coloured and black inhabitant, yet the majority of learners in this school are white. How is it possible.”
 
The committee also noted with concern that Duineveld Hoerskool’s application forms for placement from Grade 9 to Grade 12, admission policy and language policy are all only available in Afrikaans. “This is an indirect way of excluding non-Afrikaans speaking people. If a black parent is given an application form in Afrikaans and does not understand it, what does it say,” emphasized Ms Maimela.
 
She indicated that the committee also took issue with the district education officials as they do the acceptance and placement of Grade 8 learners. “What criteria is used to accept or decline.”
 
The Committee also visited Pabalelo High School and had serious concerns regarding overcrowding and underfunding at the school. “Water and hygiene also need attention,” she said.
 
The last stop was the Marcus Mbetha Secure Care Centre where underage children in conflict with the law are being housed. The centre provide education to the learners during their stay there. “We want to commend the centre for the work they do, making sure that these kids are not forgotten and giving them skills for when they need to integrate into society,” said Ms Maimela.
 
“Overall, the two days we spent at schools in the Northern Cape were frank, honest, and fruitful. We will follow up on commitments that were made to ensure that it is implemented.”
 
The committee’s focus will move to the Western Cape from tomorrow with visits to school in Cape Town.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Joy Maimela