PORT ELIZABETH - COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS AND PUPILS TACKLE RACISM HEAD ON

Black parents and pupils of Collegiate Girls’ High School in Port Elizabeth are now also taking a stand against race-related issues at the school. They embarked on a silent protest, dressed in black, to highlight their concerns. The issues include hair and ethnicity questions in the school.

It is alleged the protest was sparked by a white student at the school who told a black learner she wished that apartheid would come back.

The protestors handed over a list of demands to the principal that they want addressed immediately. These include the code of conduct, transformation of sports, the employment of more black teachers and a probe into racist slurs by both pupils and teachers.

Nandipha Kolohle, who has a daughter at the school, says that racist incidents must be probed and not watered down by the educators or the school.

She says, "We want the teachers to build self-esteem and we don't want our children to be broken for passing remarks like our children have 'boshare'. We are proud to be black. We are black South Africans and in this era, we are not expecting anyone to utter the words apartheid because our constitution doesn't allow that. It is unacceptable.”

“They have a problem with our hair; they call it 'boshare' but we have to embrace our natural hair and we don't want to put chemicals in it.”
Pupils say the school is hiding incidents that occur behind the school walls.

“The things that are said to us as black kids and the way we are treated and how we are sanctioned in school is different to white pupils”, says one.

“We are discriminated against when speaking our mother tongues,” says another. “They have a problem with our hair; they call it 'boshare' but we have to embrace our natural hair and we don't want to put chemicals in it.”

Spokesperson for the Department of Education, Malibongwe Mtima, has commended both parents and learners for taking a stance and fighting against discrimination.

“The parents are opening this and pushing this case to be part of a greater dialogue. We are encouraging them to not close the schools. Let's continue to talk about these things because issues that relate to racism need an in-depth understanding and investigation and that is accompanied by dialogue. At the end of the day, we are also able to teach those who are wrong the right way and that this is how we will be dealing with each other.”

This is the second school in Port Elizabeth that has spoken out about discrimination and racial incidents.

Learners at Lawson Brown High School protested against the code-of-conduct and racism at the school.

VIA - sabc.co.za