We want Mr. Ramsuran, principal of Trenance Park Secondary School- located in Verulam on the north of Durban, to stop denying pupils access to education, regardless of whether they arrive late at school.
It must be stated that we do not condone late-coming as it results in pupils missing crucial information learnt in the classroom and affects the student’s overall academic performance. Late coming not only affects the pupil in question but also their peers as crucial teaching and learning time needs to be taken to catch the student up to speed with their classmates. According to Equal Education, the average school day is estimated at 5 hours. However, 20% of that teaching and learning time is lost due to different reasons, one of them being late coming [1]. Late coming is a serious challenge that needs special attention for it to stop.
We do not believe turning pupils away at the gate is the solution, yet this is the experience of Trenance Park Secondary School pupils. Pupils have reported being turned away at the gate when they arrive late, and in some instances during exam seasons. When speaking to Cebolenkosi (name changed to protect identity), a pupil from Trenance Park Secondary School, he shared how a group of him and his friends arrived 5 minutes late to school and were turned away at the gate. It was only after a stranger begged the security guard on their behalf that they were let onto the school’s premises.
This is unacceptable and begs the question: where do you expect children to go when you send them away from school? The Verulam area is known for its high crime statistics, especially violent crimes that include armed robberies and attempted murder [2]. Refusing children from entering the school gates could expose pupils to harm. When pupils are denied access to the school, they often loiter at nearby tuck-shops until the end of the school day and without any adult supervision, this could increase the risk of children being exposed to drugs and alcohol.
Trenance Park Secondary School is mainly attended by pupils who come from Amaotana area, a rural township which experiences service delivery issues. The biggest issue in the area being the lack of water. The area is mainly supplied by water tanks, which arrive at any time of the day to deliver water, even as early as 5 am. Parents and children are forced to fetch water at any given moment when the water tanks arrive, and this could result in pupils arriving late for school. The Amaotana area is located on the outskirts of Durban and parents may need to travel from as early as 4:30 in the morning to arrive on time at work. This may require older siblings having to assist with household chores or prepare their younger siblings before they leave for school. Therefore, late coming is not only due to the learners’ lack of discipline or laziness, therefore it shouldn’t be dealt with in this manner.
Turning children away at the school gate for late coming is a weak attempt at enforcing discipline that does not seek to understand the underlying challenges to late coming. The school should work with pupils, parents, and teachers to put an end to this behavior. Schools should not only be for academics but for character development that should be communicated through kindness. Constructive disciplinary measures, such as detention or contacting the pupil’s parents when a child is late for school, are better alternatives in comparison to denying a child access to education.
Access to basic education is one of the fundamental rights of a child under Section 29(1) of the South African constitution [3], the school policy or personal feelings of those in leadership of the school are not above the country’s highest law. We are calling on all parents, guardians, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles and all members of the community to come together and help us fight against this injustice. We are calling on you to demand the school to stop punishing pupils for circumstances that are beyond their control. We believe that community-based solutions are possible. Parents and SGB members, bring your voices and ideas to the table. Let’s co-create a response to late coming that keeps children in class, not outside school gates. Education is a right and not a privilege. Let’s ensure pupils have access to education regardless of circumstances. By coming together and demanding the school to account, we can win this fight for our children and pupils.
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