Yet another Grade 12 pupil from Pretoria High School for Girls has been suspended amid serious allegations of racism.
The Gauteng Department of Education confirmed the suspension on Wednesday after a video showing the pupil making racially offensive statements was circulated on social media. The video, reportedly recorded in February, has sparked a significant reaction from the educational community and the public.
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The school governing body (SGB) took the decision to suspend the learner and will subsequently initiate a formal disciplinary process. The Gauteng Department of Education emphasizes its commitment to fostering a safe and inclusive environment for all learners.
It reassured all stakeholders that it takes such incidents very seriously and will take appropriate actions to address and resolve the situation.
This incident adds to a series of recent racism allegations at Pretoria High School for Girls. Last week, 12 pupils, including eight prefects, faced suspension for allegedly sharing offensive messages about black classmates on a WhatsApp group.
The ongoing investigations into these incidents have led to further scrutiny and administrative actions within the school.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane announced the precautionary suspension of the school’s principal, who is accused of failing to address initial racism complaints reported in 2023.
The deputy principal will act in place during the investigation. Furthermore, some educators have also been implicated and asked to report to the district pending the investigation’s conclusion.
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With some of the suspended learners being in Grade 12, there are concerns about their preliminary examinations.
Chiloane acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for structured support programmes for the affected learners outside the disciplinary process. He stressed that every action has consequences, yet appropriate measures would be in place to assist the learners academically.
