The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has provisionally allowed two children who have not been immunised to attend a school in Phillipi.

The parents of the children are Rastas, who have told the school that it against their religious beliefs to immunise the children.

Siyazakha Primary School has applied enrolment policy correctly by requiring the parents to provide proof of their children’s immunisation before enrolling them at the school. The school has refered the matter to the WCED.

The WCED has decided to allow the school to admit the learners provisionally, subject to further advice from the Health Department.

National and provisional policy on school enrolment requires parents to provide proof of immunisation, to prevent the spread of disease at schools.

The WCED has decided that the parents involved in this case should provide a written motivation to the department stating why they object to their children’s immunisation and what measures they have taken to ensure that their children are healthy.

The WCED will consider the motivation and will send a copy of it to the Health Department for their consideration.

We will make a decision on the enrolment once we have received the Health Department’s reply. Our decision will take into account the best interests of both the learners concerned and those of all the children at the school.

We all have a duty – parents included – to ensure the education and health of our learners. We are confident that we can resolve this issue satisfactorily.