Parents at PMB school demand clarity on suspensions of three senior staff members
Parents at a Pietermaritzburg school are demanding that disciplinary matters involving three senior staff be speedily resolved.
The headmaster of Merchiston Preparatory School was suspended at the beginning of September over accusations of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
The deputy headmaster was suspended two months earlier, while the school's financial manager was also placed on leave in September.
The School Governing Body says the Department of Education in KZN has not given reasons for the suspension of the latter two staff members.
It first wrote to the department around mid-September, wanting to know when the headmaster's disciplinary hearing would be held.
But it says its correspondence was ignored.
It sent another letter last month asking for feedback.
The following day, the department withdrew the SGB's functions, saying it failed to comply with the provisions of the Schools Act.
The move has led to some parents saying they fear the 132-year-old primary school is under attack and being captured.
On Monday, a group calling itself the 'Parents and Friends of Merchiston' marched on the Education MEC's office to hand over a memorandum.
Their demands include the fair suspension of accused staff members, thorough investigation of damning allegations, and full reinstatement of SGB functions.
Parent representative Tshepiso Papo says they want action.
"As parents we demand that they complete disciplinary inquiries against the headmaster and that they conclude this by 31 March. From the parents perspective we want these darks clouds that have been hanging over Merchiston to come to an end and be concluded.
"From our understanding, the investigation has been completed, but there has been no feed back or disciplinary action against the headmaster."
In a statement, Head of Ministry in the MEC's office, Vincent Myeni said he'll brief the MEC on the parents' concerns.
