Issued by the Gauteng Provincial Government
17 September 2001
The MEC for Education, Ignatius Jacobs noted with serious concern the allegations made against Meredale Primary School regarding the expulsion of a learner after the school alleged the learner to have stolen a chocolate.
The MEC has instructed the GDE to immediately ensure that the matter is urgently investigated and action taken against any misconduct by anyone. The MEC also indicated that there is no school Principal or SGB disciplinary committee that has the power to expel any learner. It is only the Head of the Department of Education who has such powers.
The learner would therefore with immediate effect be reinstated to the school should such allegations that the learner has been expelled be truthful. The MEC believes despite how guilty or wrong a child might be, no child would deserves such treatment, which includes the learner having to sleep in a Police cell. Every child has a right to corrective action.
GDE is also providing counseling to the learner for her traumatic ordeal of having spent a whole night in a Police Station.
Thank you.
Ignatius Jacobs
MEC for Education
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Lebelo Maloka
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082 902 9880