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Media Release

6 August, 2003


WCED starts new Khayelitsha high school

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has started a new high school in Khayelitsha to accommodate learners at the Masiphumelele informal school in Mandela Park, following extensive consultation with all role players.

For the time being, the school will share premises with the Umthawelanga Primary School, on a platooning basis.

The new school will be known as Khayelitsha Secondary Number 5, until the school community decides on a new name. The new school will accommodate about 950 learners.

The WCED registered the learners in stages, starting with those in Grades 8 and 9 on Monday this week (4 August 2003), and those in Grades 10 and 11 on Tuesday (5 August 2003).

The registration process proceeded smoothly. By the end of Wednesday (6 August 2003), 945 learners had registered at the new school, comprising 260 learners in Grade 8, 180 in Grade 9, 327 in Grade 10, and 178 in Grade 11.

Learners in Grade 12 will be placed appropriately. Many are over-age, and we will encourage them to complete their schooling at their nearest Adult Education and Training (ABET) centre.

Teaching will start at Khayelitsha Number 5 on Monday (11 August 2003). The learners are responding well to these arrangements and are keen to resume their studies at the new school as soon as possible.

The location of the new school is not expected to inconvenience the learners at the informal school, because they are already travelling from all over Khayelitsha to Mandela Park. Umthawelanga Primary is within walking distance of Masiphumelele.

The premises currently occupied by the Masiphumelele informal school are owned by the community and were used before this occupation as an ABET Centre.

The ABET operations ceased after the occupation of the site. The WCED believes that the premises should once again be used as an ABET centre, given the desperate need for this kind of training in Khayelitsha.

The decision to start the new school follows protracted negotiations with all stakeholders, including the organisers of the school, parents, heads and staff of surrounding schools, community organisations, trade unions and politicians.

Various options were considered at length for alternative sites for the school. In the end, Umthawelanga Primary agreed to share their premises because of its location near Mandela Park and because it has suitable accommodation available.

While the parent body has agreed to this move, teachers at the informal school have insisted that they be employed at a new school. This is not possible because the department must follow due legal process in appointing teachers.

In terms of an agreement between State employers and trade unions, in terms of Resolution 7 of 2002 of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC), we have to give preference to teachers declared in excess at other schools before making posts available to other applicants.

The WCED has already advertised posts for the new school, and has a list of teachers in excess who may take positions at the school. The department will interview and appoint teachers during the course of this week.

The WCED will advertise posts that cannot be filled by teachers declared in excess, and will follow due legal process in filling these posts. The department will welcome applications by all qualified teachers.

The department initially started registering learners at the primary school last week. However, after certain individuals slashed the tyres of three WCED vehicles and two privately-owned vehicles of WCED officials at the school, the department shifted the registration centre to the local library under police guard.

On Friday last week (1 August 2003), elements supporting the informal school damaged the intercom system and broke windows at Umthawelanga Primary School. The WCED is currently assessing the costs of the damage involved.

We have received allegations that certain learners were "chased out" of the primary school. As far as we can establish, this is not true. It may well be that some learners arrived at the school to register and were referred to the library.

The WCED obtained an interdict on Monday (4 August 2003) restraining the voluntary teachers and interim governing body members at the informal school from entering the grounds of Umthawelanga Primary School, because of well-founded concerns that they might interfere with the process of establishing the new high school on the premises.

We need to bring stability to the situation as a matter of urgency. In the end, our primary concern must be the education of our learners and that we do so within the framework of the law.


Issued by:
The Communications Directorate
Western Cape Education Department
Private Bag X9114
Cape Town 8000
Tel: (021) 467-2531
Fax: (021) 467-2363
Email: pattwell@pgwc.gov.za
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