A principal of a school that’s south of Durban, has been ordered to report to the department’s circuit office.
|||The principal of Isipingo Primary school, south of Durban, who was locked in a room by a group of disgruntled teachers has been ordered to report to the education department’s circuit office while matters against him are investigated.
But Suresh Karysingh, who said he would report to the circuit office in Umlazi on Monday, defiantly declared on Sunday: “I am still the principal of Isipingo Primary and will stop when the Department of Education gives me a letter saying I am no longer the principal.”
Several parents of children at the school have given Karysingh their backing, saying he was being targeted by some teachers.
Last week, at least a dozen teachers, all members of the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), staged a walkout and refused to teach, demanding that Karysingh leave the school. They accuse him of, among other things, financial mismanagement and having a dictatorial management style.
On Tuesday – a day before the start of the new school year – teachers allegedly held Karysingh held at the district office in Berea, where they had held a meeting, releasing him only after education authorities intervened. On Thursday when he returned to the school he, along with a school governing body member, was locked in by the disgruntled teachers.
Police were called in to free Karysingh and the school governing body member.
On Friday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Zweli Mkhize, visited the school where he held a meeting with teachers and parents in an effort to resolve the dispute.
It was decided that Karysingh report to the department’s circuit office while the allegations against him were investigated.
Department of Education spokeswoman, Mbali Thusi, said this was done so that teaching at the school could resume.
“There are a number of allegations against the principal that need to be investigated. We have asked him to report to the circuit office in the meantime so there can be some sort of stability at the school. The deputy principal has been appointed acting principal,” she said.
Sibongiseni Xulu, secretary of Sadtu in Durban, said they were pleased by the decision and hoped that Karysingh’s redeployment from the school would become permanent.
Karysingh said he told education officials he was displeased by the decision to remove him from the school.
“I would like to make it known that the teachers who want me out at the school are in the minority. This agenda is being pushed by a small band of teachers, the very same ones who last year went on a two-day wildcat strike,” Karysingh said.
“When it comes to education, teachers come to school to teach and learners to learn. When teachers come to school and do not want to teach, that is when I will cross swords with them. There is no confusion when it comes to this and I think this is why some of them are disgruntled,” he said.
Karysingh said that he looked forward to answering the allegations against him.
“I have been saying this for a long time now. If there are allegations against me, put them in writing and I will answer them,” he said.
Karysingh has the backing of the school governing body.
Several parents – all of whom did not wish to be named as they feared their children would be victimised – said they supported Karysingh and thought he was a good principal. “He is a man of good standing,” one parent said.
“I don’t have a problem with him. He seems to be a good person, but right now this feud with the teachers needs to stop so that the business of teaching can resume,” said another parent. - Daily News