While Grade 12 learners from other Senior Secondary Schools in the Eastern Cape were writing their last exam papers for trial exams, learners from Elliotdale district could not write, due to taxi drivers who shut down the offices of the Education Department, demanding payment.
The learners, from eight schools, did not write their history second paper on Wednesday and the English paper on Friday, last week. According to one of these service providers, Ntsika Tupa, they turned away school principals who went to fetch question papers in the Elliotdale district office. He said that they closed the offices of this department and took the keys from a driver who was driving a department bakkie, transporting chairs.
Tupa said,
Tupa said even though they had transported two senior secondary schools, they made sure that all the high schools in this district were affected by their action, including those who were not taking part in this competition.
Tupa confirmed that he is one of the service providers who sent invoices, but he was only paid for one invoice, even though he sent four.
Chairperson for Zwelenqaba Senior Secondary School, Sabelo Fanayo, said that it was painful because their children did not finish their trial exams, due to this problem.
“What is more painful is that our school was not even participating in music. We do not understand why our principal was not allowed to get question papers. The department must do what is right, and pay the service providers once and for all,” said Fanayo.
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli, confirmed that police were called to an incident where taxi drivers allegedly closed one of the buildings housing the Department of Education in Elliotdale.
“It is alleged that they were demanding to be paid for the services they rendered. On police arrival, they did not find the taxi drivers, and the building was open,” said Nkohli.
Spokesperson for the Department of Education, Mali Mtima, said they are aware of the matter and are weighing two options.
Mtima said,
