Issued by Ministry of Education
4 April 2002
Pretoria, 4 April 2002 -The Ministry of Education is pleased to note from the media release of the PAC of 4 April 2002 that they are "finalising the recovery plan for the lost time". However, what they fail to acknowledge is that the time was of course lost when their student wing chased pupils out of schools with sjamboks.
The Ministry therefore appreciates that they are now finally realising the failure of their campaign to disrupt schools in the East Rand. We are not sure how this campaign accords with their commitment to the culture of teaching and learning, which is professed in the statement, or how disrupting schooling in the townships will lead to "the economic advancement of the African people".
Nevertheless our expectation is that schools will function normally as from the beginning of the new term, as was stated by Paso. If this is the case, if there is indeed normality in these schools next week, then the Ministry is prepared to meet with any aggrieved party. But we have said from the start, we will not meet them while some of their members roam the streets beating up schoolgirls on some flimsy political pretext.
They should really understand that they cannot make absurd demands on a democratically elected government. We will never encourage the criminal justice system to drop charges against anyone, even a child that has committed a violent crime. As with the setting of school fees, we have adopted a democratic approach, and have full confidence in parents to make responsible decisions.
If this ill-considered statement, which is issued under the name of the Secretary for Political Affairs, has the backing of the leadership of the PAC, then the party really needs to re-examine itself, its purposes and its tactics. This is not the way for a party represented in Parliament to engage on critical matters, which affect the future of the nation.
Enquiries: Molatwane Likhethe at 082 573 0397