Pupils commended for standing up against racism
30 August 2016
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation welcomes the intervention by the Gauteng Department of Education at Pretoria High School for Girls.
This follows protest by pupils over the school’s code of conduct and its implementation, which African learners have indicated, discriminates racially against them.
“We are pleased that MEC Panyaza Lesufi has intervened, and that the school’s code of conduct will be reviewed, along with that of other schools in the province as well,” director of the Foundation, Neeshan Balton, said.
“We also welcome the investigation into the allegations of racism, as well as the planned visit by the province’s Group of Eminent Persons dealing with issues of social cohesion,” he stated. “Earlier this year, the Foundation under the umbrella of the Anti-Racism Network South Africa proposed a draft anti-racism school policy that could be implemented nationally to tackle racism in primary and secondary schools. We hope that the Department of Basic Education will seriously consider adopting the policy in all schools. It’s about time that racism in the education sector is tackled head on.”