South Africa: Head ousted in language row

Fri May 26 12:21:26 UTC 2006

Head ousted in language row
25/05/2006 20:21  - (SA)

Sakhile Mokoena

Polokwane - A Limpopo principal who refused to provide indigenous
languages as first languages at his school has been removed from his post.
Pieter Nel, principal of Capricorn High School in Polokwane, pleaded
guilty to misconduct before a disciplinary tribunal on Wednesday. Limpopo
government spokesperson Saul Molobi said on Thursday:"Nel pleaded guilty
to contravening the Employment of Educators Act by failing to comply with
an instruction to implement the new language policy." Nel was suspended in
January this year for not implementing the new language policy which
required former model C schools to offer indigenous languages as first
languages to those who spoke them at home. Molobi said Nel had agreed to
vacate the principal's post and that he would be deployed as a subject
adviser in one of the province's six regions.

Principal's job to be advertised

Nel was also given a final written warning that will be valid for six
months. His suspension from duty will be lifted on May 29. Molobi said the
principal's post at Capricorn High would be advertised. The new curriculum
implemented this year requires pupils to study their home language as a
first language and take at least one additional official language. The
provincial education department has deployed 144 teachers to teach
indigenous languages at all former model C schools, including Capricorn
High. The languages include Tsonga, Pedi and Venda. The medium of
instruction at the schools is not be affected by the new policy.
Previously, former model C schools offered only English and Afrikaans as
first-language subjects.

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