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In tough economic times, public funds should be spent where it will make the most difference in the short and long-term. Reducing the school dropout rate would help to maximise the value of young people in building the prospects of our nation, writes Merle Mansfield One of the key challenges of building a successful advocacy campaign to reduce the rate of school dropouts is that the problem is so pervasive in South Africa that it seems normal in many communities. You don’t have to search far to find someone who has dropped out of school. In Grassy Park, for example, our outreach team spoke to Brandon* – a Grade 10 learner who lives in a two-bedroom house with three of his cousins, all of whom dropped out of school. “The reason I choose to stay in school is becauseRead More →

Sebetsa-O-Tholemoputso High School in Doornkop, Soweto, has been dealt a double blow. Khoele collapsed and died at his home on Monday morning, while Zweli Dube (14) died on Friday. Zweli Dube (14) was struck by lightning last week Friday. Photo Supplied He was on his way home from school. Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited the families to convey his condolences. Zweli’s mother Puseletso Ntabe (32) told Daily Sun she heard that when her son was struck by lightning, he fell to the ground. “He tried to run but fell on his face and struggled to breathe,” she said. Puseletso said Zweli was still alive when she foundRead More →

King Goodwill Zwelithini has slammed the teaching of sex education in schools, saying it is not a cultural norm and required more consultation from parents and other stakeholders. “Schools will now be able to teach our children about sexual intercourse without consulting our parents. I have seen this content first-hand and I am not pleased. “God is not in this and our culture does not allow it,” he said at the opening of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature at the Royal Show Grounds in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday. Zwelithini added proposals to teach schoolchildren about sex was not inclusive enough. In 2019, it was announced that the pilotRead More →

Nyati Bush and River Break Lodge should be held responsible and liable for its negligent and reckless actions which contributed to the death of Parktown Boys’ High School Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi, a forensic investigation has recommended. The damning report, compiled by Harris Nupen Molebatsi Attorneys (HNM), was released on Wednesday night in the school hall at Parktown Boys’ High. It found the campsite was reckless in allowing the pupils to go into the river without life jackets and that there were not enough coordinators during the water activity. The damning report found that the school principal, Malcolm Williams, seven educators who accompanied overRead More →

Parktown Boys’ High School Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi. Nyati Bush and River Break Lodge should be held responsible and liable for its negligent and reckless actions which contributed to the death of Parktown Boys’ High School Grade 8 pupil Enock Mpianzi, a forensic investigation has recommended. The damning report, compiled by Harris Nupen Molebatsi Attorneys (HNM), was released on Wednesday night in the school hall at Parktown Boys’ High. It found the campsite was reckless in allowing the pupils to go into the river without life jackets and that there were not enough coordinators during the water activity. The damning report found that theRead More →

School deaths on the rise in Gauteng: What legal rights do parents have? The cost of court cases should not discourage families from bringing claims forward. “It’s been difficult staying in school under the circumstances. I am constantly thinking about the situation that is happening at home. I can’t study well because of all I have to do, and if I wait till late, then it’s dark because we do not have electricity and use paraffin light.” (iStock) The year has commenced on a negative note for the Gauteng Department of Education, as eighteen pupils have died under various circumstances since the beginning of 2020.Read More →

The tragedy that befell Parktown Boys High School pupil, Enoch Mpianzi, has left the nation in disbelief. Parents all over the country are not only concerned about sending their children on school excursions, but also who will be held accountable if they sign indemnity forms. Dr Cecile Eloff, an educational law lecturer at the North-West University (NWU), explains what indemnity forms are and when schools can be held liable. Read More >Read More →