PARENTS INSISTS THAT LEARNERS SHOULD GO BACK TO CLASS AT ONKGOPOTSE TIRO COMPREHENSIVE
Parents of learners at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive spoke in one voice during the urgent meeting called by the School Governing Body that all learners should go back to class as from Wednesday, 28 August 2019.
This strong commitment made by parents follows a prolonged disruption of lessons caused by learners since Monday, 19 August 2019. The learners who have been temporarily accommodated at Batswana and Boitsanape Secondary school hostels due to the construction of their school hostels.
The learners embarked on the disruption of classes for almost five days, citing that they wanted to move back to their hostels, complained about the condition of the scholar transport and threatened to occupy houses of teachers at the school.
The Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School was established in 2004. The primary purpose of establishing the school was to accommodate all learners from the farms. All the small farm schools were closed and learners accommodated at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive.
The mother to a Grade 10 learner, Ms Jeanette Mokgatle expressed that she has been extremely stressed up by the situation at Onkgopotse Tiro Comprehensive School.
“I did not sleep for days due to the situation at the school. I want everyone to know that, burning of tyres in the school property as parents we condemn it in strongest terms. We are not going to allow our children to stay without attending classes. As of tomorrow, learners should go back to class”, said Ms Mokgatle.
Mr Modise Chabalala whose child is in Grade 10, applauded the department for taking care about their children unconditionally. He emphasized that parents should talk to their children about the results of disrupting lessons at school. He said parents should never be scared in reprimanding their children.
The North West Education MEC, Mmaphefo Matsemela indicated that she supported the decision taken by the parents.
“I am extremely excited by the decision taken by the parents; it shows that they are interested in the education of their children. As a department we are very much disappointed by the actions of disrupting the lessons caused by the learners. We are going to ensure that teachers roll out the recovery plan to all learners”, said MEC Matsemela.
Learning and teaching is expected to resume back on Tuesday, 27 August 2019.
