MEC closes down finishing school
Western Cape education MEC Donald Grant announced the closure of Lagunya Finishing School in Langa on Monday where recent protests left two pupils injured.
“Given the fact that we are funding and allocating posts to an institution that does not exist in law, it presents enormous difficulties in terms of administration as well as in holding educators and learners to account,” said Grant.
“Therefore, in the best interests of the learners at the school, I have decided that Lagunya Finishing School will be closed with effect from December 31, 2009.”
The current model for schooling in the country does not make provision for finishing schools.
Earlier this month, two pupils were injured when the police used rubber bullets to disperse a group of pupils who were protesting about the prospect of the school being closed.
The protesting pupils disrupted matric examinations at the nearby Langa Secondary School by forcing their way into a classroom where exams were taking place. The disrupted pupils had to rewrite the paper.
Grant said the decision to close the school had been done in terms of a statutory process determined by the South African Schools Act and the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act.
The department would still allow the completion of the May/June 2010 senior certificate examinations, he said.
“The school will be given a winding down period until June 9, 2010… Every learner registered at the school to write the May/June 2010 Senior Certificate Examination, by January 31, will receive tuition and textbooks.”
After January 31, pupils wanting to do the exam would be accommodated at other centres in the area.
The six permanently employed teachers would be deployed to other schools.
“The contracts of the 16 remaining teachers expire at the end of this month,” said Grant. “These teachers will be given preference when it comes to the allocation of posts at other schools or adult education centres including Lagunya.” - Sapa
admin @ December 9, 2009