Student lawyers object to Education Department's 'alternative' expulsion policy

6 July 2017 9:06 AM

The Western Cape Education Department announced on Wednesday that specialised facilities will be established in the Western Cape to accommodate students expelled from public schools.

According to the department, these facilities will be an alternative to expulsion because these students still deserve to receive an education. Students can be referred to these planned facilities by school governing bodies .

Co-founder for the Chamber of Legal Students, Kwanda Mkhaliphi opposed the idea saying the system creates a correctional facility without a proper justice system.

We have discovered that the SGBs are failing on what they are supposed to be doing as a body, which is clearly stipulated in the Schools Act.
— Kwanda Mkhaliphi, Co-founder for Chamber of Legal Students

We believe these intervention facilities are going to make it easy for the SGB to justify making hasty decisions that haven't been reviewed.

Firstly we need to implement what is on paper at the moment because what is stipulated on paper is really perfect.
— Kwanda Mkhaliphi, Co-founder for Chamber of Legal Students

Paddy AttwelDirector of Communications for WCED at Western Cape Education Department says they have a committee that assesses every case before expulsion and SGB members receive training on how to follow procedure.

We do have cases where applications are not successful because procedure was not followed properly.
— Paddy Atwell, WC education department Head of Communications

To hear more of this interview, listen below:

Written by: Lengwadishang Ramphele