In 2012 Equal Education (EE) was contacted by Eastern Cape (EC) learners describing appalling problems at their rural school, Moshesh Senior Secondary School.
When EE visited the school in June 2012 it became aware of numerous problems. These included:
- Teachers arriving late for classes and leaving early. Teachers were also frequently absent from school without explaining their absence. In these cases alternative arrangements have not been made to ensure that teaching continued.
- There was a shortage of qualified teachers for critical subjects at the school.
- The principal was absent from the school for nine months, from October 2011 to June 2012.
- On his return, the principal failed to carry out basic administrative tasks that threatened the chances of learners writing their final exams.
- The principal also unlawfully expelled two grade 12 learners.
- Curriculum planning and delivery were not occurring and were not being monitored by the principal or the district.
- The school was underperforming in the matric examinations, there was high repetition and dropout.
- There were not enough textbooks at the school. Some learners used outdated textbooks from 1986 that did not meet the current curriculum requirements.
Equal Education tried to resolve these problems by contacting the Maluti district director Mr Mtatyana, the acting superintendent general Mr Mgonzo and Eastern Cape education MEC Mr Makupula from June 2012 until November 2012. However, despite numerous written and telephonic correspondences, most of the problems were not resolved.
In November 2012, Palesa Manyokole, a grade 12 learner at Moshesh, with the support of 9 other learners from Moshesh Senior Secondary School, Equal Education and her mother, filed papers against the district director, the EC Head of Department, the EC MEC for Education, the school principal, the Director General and the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga.
The court case will be heard on 18 June 2013, in the Bhisho High Court.
Court Documents
In November 2012 Palesa; her mother, Madimo Mouthloali; 9 other learners at Moshesh; and Equal Education’s chairperson, Yoliswa Dwane, filed founding and supporting papers in the Bhisho High Court in the Eastern Cape:
- Palesa Manyokole’s founding affidavit [PDF].
- Madimo Mouthloali’s supporting affidavit [PDF].
- Yoliswa Dwane’s supporting affidavit [PDF].
- 9 learners’ supporting affidavits [PDF].
On 12 December 2012 MEC Makupula filed his answering affidavit [PDF].
In response to MEC Makupula’s answering affidavit
