The learning and teaching program at Mkhumbane Secondary schools, in Mayville, Durban, has been disrupted due to the actions of 20 teachers of this school who boycotted the work complaining about the installation of cameras – which are suspected to have been installed by the principal of this school in the classrooms to strengthen security.
A source who knows everything that is happening in this school, who did not want to be revealed for security reasons, revealed that the reason for this problem was that the principal, Mr. Ntokozo Ngobese, installed these CCTV cameras in the middle of last year, in agreement with the body that controls the operation of the school, because he made it safe.
“He was doing that because he wanted to reduce or stop the incidents that were getting worse in the school of students stealing their important things including uniforms (jerseys), lunch boxes, calculators and so on – and it was agreed that this step could help to look ahead,” said the source.
It turned out that on Monday and Tuesday, those teachers about 20 decided not to go to work complaining about the actions of the principal, who also want him to be suspended or fired from work because they don’t agree with his actions, they complained that he should have consulted with them first before that was done.
It is said that what makes the situation difficult to fix, even though the matter has gone as far as the Ministry of Education – is that the body that controls the operation of the school stands with the principal in this matter, which causes a big conflict with those teachers.
On Wednesday afternoon, a letter was circulated for an emergency meeting of parents, who were called to discuss this matter yesterday, with the aim of trying to find a solution for the learning and teaching program to continue as usual.
This newspaper tried several times to contact one of the members of the board that controls the operation of the school, Ms. Nomonde Matumtum, who promised to tell her about everything that is happening and will happen to correct this situation.
However, Ms. Matumtum died yesterday without fulfilling her promise, which was that when she kept trying by phone and messages on her WhatsApp – she cried that she was still stuck in the second meeting to discuss this issue.
The Department of Education could not be reached to clarify the process of cameras in schools.