Various high schools across Thabong, a local township in Free State, marched in solidarity with Lephola Secondary School pupils on Thursday, after four learners were expelled from the school for ‘not attending extra classes’.
Fueled with anger, dozens of in-full uniform students took to the streets and headed to Lephola Secondary School, where they called for the removal of the troubled school principal’s Abel Motseki.
Protesting students vandalized the school’s infrastructure, where the main gate and the school fences were dismantled and razed to the ground.
It is alleged that the four matric learners, were shown the door by the school’s headman for failing to come for Saturday classes, and they were told to not to report to the school anymore, sources revealed to Kasi Voice News.
The aggrieved learners said the main reason for downing tools had to do with Motseki’s arrogance and his mistreatment towards school learners and educators.
The controversial Motseki, had in the past faced the similar incident of protesting learners, when he assaulted a teacher three years back, in 2019.
Motseki was suspended for the assault, and was issued with a warning by the department of Education in the province.
Kasi Voice News has learnt that Motseki, has been intimidating educators and learners at the school, this includes both teachers who were witnesses in 2019’s assault case.
It is furthermore alleged that, several teachers have reported Motseki to the district and the provincial educational offices with no action taken.
Cosas secretary-general Teboho Magafane told Kasi Voice News that as the organization that represent the interests of black school students, they are proud of school pupils’ demonstration for standing for their rights.
“We highly commend these fearless and young lions for standing for their rights and fighting this abusive principal towards learners,” said Magafane.
“We hope other learners from other provinces, can learn to defend themselves in such situations.
“The process that the principal has done was very flawed from the start it’s not his job to dismiss learners when you have School Management Team (SMT) and School Governing Body (SGB), that focus on problems of the school.
“Also you will remember his previous misconduct of man-handling a teacher and learners in 2019. We support the learners as they protecting their rights,” said Magafane.
Kasi Voice News reached to the school’s admin office and Motseki’s cell phones with no availability by the time of going to press.
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