Sizimisele students outside the Western Cape Department of Education on Friday. Photo by Masixole Feni.
14 February 2015
About 50 students from Sizimisele Technical High School in Khayelitsha left school on Friday morning to march on the Western Cape Department of Education over a shortage of teachers.
“There are at least three 45 minute periods every single day that we do not have teachers,” said Kedibone Legoale, a matric and student representative.
“This has been the case ever since we arrived back in January, and it is getting very frustrating. The Department would like for us to pass our exams well, but how can we do so when they do not assign teachers to help us prepare? We blame the department completely, and they must answer.”
Legoale formed part of a small contingent of students who, along with supporters from Equal Education, met with officials at the department’s offices off Adderley Street on Friday afternoon. After the meeting, the representatives reported back to a few dozen of their fellows that an investigation would be conducted and the department would give feedback next week.
GroundUp’s queries to the department went unanswered on Friday.
Previously, in May last year, students from Sizimisele marched on the department’s offices.