Principals collared for poor results
Disciplinary hearings against five North West high school principals started on Monday after their schools had not performed well in matric results over the past five years.
Departmental spokesperson Charles Raseala said the schools had consistently underperformed over this period.
"Where we have given support to schools and there is still no improvement we need to intervene."
Raseala said the principals were from schools with a matric pass rate of under 60 percent during 2007.
"They should have had 60 percent or above in 2007."
He said the department was satisfied that the principals, who would be brought before the disciplinary committee, had a case to answer to.
Last year 17 school principals in the province were also brought before a disciplinary committee after their schools had under-performed.
Raseala said most of these principals received a warning to improve results, while some received a final warning.
"One principal resigned but no one was dismissed."
The provincial chairperson of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) in North West Mxolisi Bomvana criticised the department for singling out the principals.
"You can not get quality education just on the performance of principals."
Bomvana said all stakeholders in education such as parents, the teachers, the school governing body and departmental officials had a role to play.
He said the union found it difficult to accept that only the principal of a school could be blamed if the school underperformed. - Sapa
Published on the Web by IOL on 2008-07-21 19:43:15
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