By OBAKENG MAJE
The Grade 12 learners at Tamasikwa High School in Tamasikwa village, near Taung said they are demoralised and do not think they will perform well in their national final examinations.
The Grade 12 learners who were kept at the school during camp said, they were allegedly forced by a teacher, Reokopile Mothibuseng to go to the veld and fetch firewood every afternoon so that they can be able to cook and prepare hot water every morning.
One of the learners who refused to be named for fear of reprisal said: “This is torture because we are expected to study afterward. At times, we are tired and we could not concentrate. We just wonder what happened to the budget allocated for gas.
“We will perform badly during this final national examination, simply because we were put through torture by our own teacher. She even told us to lie to the media when we are interviewed,” said a learner.
One of the concerned parents, Delilwe Tjali shared the same sentiments. Tjali further said she blames the North West Department of Education for all shenanigans taking place at the school.
“The department is undermining us including these teachers. We cannot be undermined simply because we come from a deeply rural area. When we raise our grievances, teachers become very defensive and rude towards us.
“Even one of the teachers, Reikupile Mothibuseng had the guts to call and insult me after raising concern about this matter. We know that they will try everything in their power to defend themselves. However, this is something that everyone is concerned about,” she said.
Tjali further said Grade 12 learners could have used this time to study, instead of fetching firewood. She added that it is flabbergasting to see the school forced to accommodate learners when they do not have the full capacity to do so.
Taung DailyNews also visited the school and Grade 11 and 10 learners that spoke to the newspaper confirmed that indeed, Grade 12s were forced to go to the veld to fetch firewood.
Meanwhile, the North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “The school manager and the School Governing Body (SGB) do not agree with the allegations made. The school made an agreement with the parents on 7 August 2022 and 21 October 2022 that they must come to prepare food for learners during camps.
“There is an arrangement that one of the community members brings wood for cooking and preparing warm water to save gas during weekends and when there is load shedding.”
Malindi said for cooking, there is a teacher who is sleeping with the learners and she is the one who serves learners in the morning when the SGB is still coming. He said the parents of learners are not cooperating at all to help the learners.
“The issue of insulting learners is not true at all. The educators are taking these learners as their children and ended up buying them food from their pockets. They have evidence, that they bought two Grade 12 learners’ school uniforms.
“The staff donated money for these learners during camp and the entire school is shocked and frustrated by these allegations,” said Malindi.
The Guardian 