Time and again the media publishes articles that discuss the many difficult challenges that school leaders which include the principal and governing body have to manage.
In my opinion all institutions and especially public education have rules and regulations that must be obeyed otherwise chaos will occur. The recent upheaval in parliament involving Julius Malema shouting “bring back the money” was a good example of unparliamentarily behaviour gone wild.
Schools struggle with difficult children because their parents established very little or unsuitable basic behaviour at home. Some parents mistakenly believe that teachers are required to teach their children manners as good manners are often absent at home. Ironically when parents’ get fight or divorce, it is the teacher who sits with a traumatised child at school while having to teach a class of 30+ students.
Schools on the Cape Flats in particular have serious problems with issues of violence, gangsterism and drug addiction. School leaders have many students who require attention. Other tasks includes maintaining school infrastructure, general education and administrative needs etc. Schools leaders do not have the time and energy to deal with those who disrupt schooling because they seek attention.
Parents who send their children to school must know that very often children behave differently at school compared to at home. When parents are called in by the School Governing Body they are often shocked as they did not know or realize what their child’s behaviour is like outside their home.
In the words of the wise, almost everything in life is a result of human intellect; if we improve the way we think, we progress. Our shared social sustainability cannot be dependent on the emotive needs of a minority. Communities who do not learn from history and reality will eventually become its victim.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress