GDE shuts down Crowthorne Christian Academy

18 August 2023

The Gauteng Department of Education had originally hoped to use a support and development stance towards the Crowthorne Christian Academy matter, including taking the School Management Team through compliance processes with regulations for the purpose of registration. Furthermore, we wanted to facilitate a transformative process with them involving our Constitution, democracy, values in education, and respect of human rights.

However, when officials visited the school on Thursday, 17 August 2023 in Midrand, where they illegally moved to without permission, the owners had locked the gates and closed the school. This was dumbfounding as our officials had previously managed to enter the school on Monday, 14 August 2023.

We have made multiple attempts to reach out to the school’s management, through various forms of communication and physical visits with law enforcement agencies, but the school refuses to open its gates and respond to our communication.

We have therefore taken a decision to give the school a notice of closure as they are operating illegally.

Therefore, we are prepared to place all affected learners of the school to alternative schools as we believe that Crowthorne Christian Academy is not an institution that can effectively educate children. We urge all parents who have children in this school to contact the Department for assistance.

Issued by Steve Mabona, Gauteng Department of Education’s Spokesperson, 18 August 2023