Question NW1693 to the Minister of Basic Education
10 December 2024 - NW1693
Komane, Mr LM to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(a) On what date will she resolve the realignment issues in Limpopo, particularly in Sango Combined School, in Ward 30 of Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality, where a principal took residents to court in order to delay schooling and to remain in power as a principal and (b) what are the reasons that her department is failing the community of Ward 30 by keeping the principal who is allegedly divisive and hates the people who gave him a job opportunity?
Reply:
Section 3 of the Employer of Educators, 1998 (Act No. 76 of 1998) provides that the Head of a Provincial Education Department (PED) is the employer of educators in the service of that PED in posts on the educator establishment of that PED for all purposes of employment.
The Minister of Basic Education and the Department of Basic Education therefore do not have any legal authority to intervene in employment incidents that arise as between the principal of a public school (being an educator employed by the relevant PED) and the Head of the relevant PED.
However, the Minister of Basic Education will write to the MEC for Education in Limpopo to seek further clarity on the issues raised in this question in respect of Sango Combined School and what steps have been or being taken by the Head of the Limpopo Department of Education to address these issues.