TWO Mpumalanga schoolteachers got a nasty surprise on Thursday when education MEC Craig Padayachee dropped in unexpectedly and announced he would charge them with misconduct.
The two teachers, a man and a woman, teach at two of four schools Padayachee visited in Barberton on Thursday.
When he visited KaMhola High School and Barberton Combined School, he learnt that the two teachers had taken extensive sick leave, costing pupils valuable learning time.
Unhappy with the doctor’s letters the teachers produced, Padayachee said he would also ask the South African Council of Health Professions to investigate the validity of the letters.
“I am not impressed with the teachers,” he said, “and will ask my head of department to charge them with misconduct.”
“And I want the council to check the role the doctor played in issuing the sick letters to the teachers, and if possible have him charged.”
He did not say how many days the teachers off sick or what their ailments were.
Padayachee was otherwise impressed with the progress the principals at the two high schools had made to improve matric results this year.
“Both principals have set a target of achieving at least a 70% pass rate for Grade 12 pupils at the end of the year,” he said.
Barberton Combined School had a pass rate of 45% last year, while KaMhola High School had a 47% pass rate.
Padayachee also visited Barberton Primary School and Laerskool Barberton. He plans to visit all schools in the province. He plans to visit all high schools before matriculants write their final exams.
— African Eye News Service, May 29, 2000.