Update
ALBERTINIA NUUS - Die hoof van Hoërskool Albertinia, Herman Maartens, het onverwags bedank.
In 'n telefoniese onderhoud met Suid-Kaap Forum het Maartens gesê dat hy besluit het om in hierdie stadium die tuig neer te lê.
"Ek is 60 en het besluit genoeg is genoeg."
Die afgelope tyd was daar redelik rimpeling nadat 'n ouer 'n brief aan die koerant gestuur het oor sekere vakke - wiskunde, fisiese wetenskappe, rekeningkunde en lewenswetenskappe - wat blykbaar nie meer by die skool aangebied gaan word nie.
Dié brief het in die uitgawe van 21 September verskyn.
Volgens Maartens het hy wel 'n skrywe aan die ouers gestuur om hul gevoel daaroor te kry - en wat nie goed ontvang is nie.
"Die Wes-Kaapse onderwysdepartement sê net daar is soveel poste - en ons moet bly afskaal."
Kommentaar op die brief deur die WKOD se mediawoordvoerder, Paddy Atwell, wat bevestig het dat die skool tans 13 vakke vir hoërskoolleerders aanbied, maar nie genoeg poste het om al die vakke aan te bied nie, het ook groot ongelukkigheid veroorsaak.
Volgens Atwell het die leerdergetal in sekere vakke oor die afgelope jare gedaal, terwyl daar 'n toename in ander was.
"The school governing body has therefore decided to rationalise subjects to match its staff establishment. This was a decision of the SGB and not the WCED," het hy gesê.
Ansie Breyl, voorsitter van die SBL het 'n e-pos aan die koerant gestuur waarin sy sê dat geen besluit deur die SBL van die skool geneem is om die vakke vir 2018 uit te faseer nie.
Die skool en ouers het wel op 14 September vergader om 'n besluit hieroor te neem.
In 'n skrywe aan die koerant het die ANC LLP van Hessequa, Cameron Dugmore, genoem dat hy die ouers, beheerliggaamlede en rdl. Ivan Mangaliso salueer omdat hulle by hul standpunt hou oor dié saak.
"It's about the future of our children, nothing else. I demand that the WCED appoint an independent investigation into this matter.
"Those responsible from the department must face the consequences. We have been pushing for the last two years that Albertinia High becomes a no-fee school. This has fallen on deaf ears.
"This is part of the problem. I have suggested to the crisis committee that we convene an urgent education summit in Albertinia to address the skills and education crisis we face."
Hoërskool Albertinia. Foto: Wilma Adamson
Comments by the Western Cape Education Ministry
As the former MEC for Education, Mr Dugmore should be well aware that in South Africa, the National Department of Education determines the percentage of schools in each province that must belong to each quintile.
On this basis, we have to determine which schools fall into which quintile.
This system supposedly reflects the poverty of the community around the school, and also takes into account certain infrastructural factors.
A school's quintile ranking is important as it determines the amount of funding that it receives each year and whether or not the school can charge fees.
However, the quintile system is an unrealistic assessment of poverty. Albertinia High School is a case in point. It is a quintile 4 school that serves poorer and lower income households.
I have informed Mr Dugmore on several occasions, she has since 2014 been calling on the National Minister of Education, Minister Angie Motshekga to amend the Quintile System and that until such time as the minister does this; I am not able to amend the quintile status of Albertinia nor any other school.
In order to comply with the national policy, we would have to swap it with another school in quintile 1-3.
There are no schools that we could do this with, as they are all equally poor or even more so.
I would love to be able to re-classify a number of schools' quintile status. Mr Dugmore must take his demands where they belong - to the National Minister and the National Treasury.
Because only if we get more funding and the policy is changed, will we be able to do so.
Parents who are not able to afford schools may apply for an exemption. Last year my department paid out 100% of the claims.
Comments by the WCED
We have also established that the SGB did not decide to rationalise the number of subjects taught at the school.
The SGB told our circuit manager during a meeting on Wednesday last week that they are opposed to rationalisation, and they have informed the parent body that rationalisation will not take place.
The WCED's next vacancy list will advertise the post of principal.
The deputy principal will act as principal in the meantime.
The school's post allocation of 14 posts for 2018 will remain the same as that for 2017.
Read a previous article: Albertinia-hoof bedank onverwags
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