SGB Federation in loggerheads with Circuit Manager over appointment of additional teachers

Apel

The School Governing Body (SGB) Federation in Limpopo said it has learned with shock that the Department of Education in Limpopo has ordered educators in Madithame Secondary School not to teach Grade 12 pupils.

According to the federation, the department’s instruction to refuse the new educators to teach Grade 12 was made by Seotlong Circuit Manager, known as Mr Matsimela earlier this year, after the school’s SGB appointed six additional educators as an interim to attend to Grade 12 pupils at Madithame School in Apel Village, Sekhukhune East Education District.

Pastor Derrick Mosoana, Limpopo SGB Federation Convener, said the circuit manager’s decision comes after the school’s merger attempt failed last year after the Education Department could not follow proper aligning procedures.

“Matsimela prevented the teachers from rendering services because he has issues with the school that we do not know. This decision shows exactly that there are underlying issues with the school where also recently instructed the school not to utilize its funds without him knowing. This tells that he is interfering with administration and management of the school for his own motives,” he said.

Mosoana said they are concerned that Matsimela is interfering while he does not have legal authority to can tell the SGB how to run their affairs or to can mandate any SGB on what to do and what not to do,” he said.

Mosoana added that during an oversight visit at the school, the federation was shocked to learn that the school has been operating without a principal or an acting one for over 2 years since the resignation of then principal in 2022.

“The federation is convinced that problems in the school are an effect of the absent leadership in the district. For a very long time we have been cautioning the Head of Department (HOD) against the vacuum caused by the demarcation of Sekhukhune into two regions, East and South, while South is performing than East that remains on auto pilot. This education district delivers nothing but is only a nest of friends masquerading as leaders of society while serving their own interests,” he said.

Mosoana alleges that the region is known for selling posts, intimidating teachers and poor performance without recourse or redress.

“The Federation has visited the MECs office for a possible sitting with both the MEC and HOD for immediate intervention. Learners at Madithame have the right to education. The SGB contracted the six qualified SACE accredited teachers to help in teaching the learners until this matter has been put to rest, we are worried that as of recent, the circuit manager ordered those contracted teachers to not teach any of the grades. This is despise proof of qualifications presented to the department. One of the teacher holds an NQF level 9 qualification that only 6% of the people employed by the Limpopo Department of Education possess,” he said.

Matome Taueatsoala, Limpopo Department of Education Spokesperson, said they were not aware of the allegations and will investigate the matter. Taueatsoala said the department will respond once the investigation is finalized.