Learners at an Eastern Cape school held teachers hostage in an attempt to get money for their farewell party.
IT’S nearing the matric farewell party season again and, in our particular South African fashion, it won’t simply involve the grade 12s finding an outfit and a partner. Mass action may precede the party at many schools.
The Eastern Cape was the most recent province to experience the culture of mass action – or ”mobocracy” – favoured by many school goers to get their views heard. A group of about 300 learners at Ntsika High school in Grahamstown opted to hold their teachers hostage in an attempt to get money out of the school for their farewell party.
Police were barred from entering the school premises by students armed with stones and other makeshift weapons. The situation came to an end when the police cut through the padlock on the school gate, and arrested two students who were allegedly the ringleaders. The teachers fled the premises.
Eastern Cape Department of Education representative Phamphama Mfenyana said the department has clearly stated what the process for funding farewell parties should be. ”Such events should be budgeted for by each school at the beginning of the year, and matric students should also fund raise,” says Mfenyana. He added that it was not fair for matric students from cash-strapped schools to demand that the little money available to the school be spent on their party.
Mfenyana says that the new school governing bodies that are in the process of being elected will be tasked with getting ”the basics of democracy and tolerance” in place at schools. The department regarded these ”bulldozing” tactics of the student body as serious transgressions, and the incident at Ntsika High will be investigated further.
— The Teacher/Mail & Guardian, August 15, 2000.
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