A grade five learner has been banned for life from Milnerton Primary School’s after-school programme, as her parents have reportedly collected her too late too many times. The father of the child said he would accept a year-long ban, but is upset that his daughter has been banned from the after-school programme for the rest of her schooling career.
He has criticized the school’s “lack of ubuntu”, and called the punishment drastic, harsh and cruel, as he and his wife failed to pick their daughter up thrice for the year.
“I wish the child could be reinstated to the aftercare facility. I heard from other parents that it has happened before, and we’re not saying we are not at fault, what we are saying is for the school to reconsider their position because it’s not the child’s fault that she was picked up late. Other aftercare facilities around here are very pricey and we cannot afford them, We rely on the aftercare that is provided by school,” he said to SABC News.
According to Bronagh Hammond, a spokesperson for the Western Cape Department of Education, the Department cannot do anything about the incident, as it is the responsibility of school governing bodies (SGB) to deal with this.
“The policy stated it clearly that if there are transgressions in terms of latecoming three times, they will have to inform the parent that the learner can no longer attend and in this specific case it was six transgressions and it was decided by the SGB to stop the contract between the two,” she said in a statement.
It is believed that the parents have now approached the South African Human Rights Commission to take further action.
Picture: Milnerton Primary School/Facebook
