An urgent meeting is needed to discuss the no-show of matric students in Olifantshoek, the DA Northern Cape said on Tuesday.
“In a letter to the education committee chair this morning, the (Democratic Alliance) DA questioned why the department had gone ahead with exams in Olifantshoek when the chances of failure were still too high,” said the party's education spokesman Allen Grootboom.
“The option was available to the department to delay the exams for these learners, who were held ransom by protests over the last few months.”
A stay-away by almost half the students registered suggested that the department had rushed into the exams without assurances from parents and pupils that they were able to meet the challenge, he said.
An urgent explanation was needed by acting Premier and Education MEC Grizelda Cjiekella on how she would resolve the crisis.
Grootboom said that because so many of the pupils had not written the first exams, it was unlikely they would write the other exams, and they would also influence other pupils to stay away.
“The Olifantshoek situation remains delicate and requires ethical leadership from the education department,” he said.
“We want to hear concrete plans from them immediately on how they are going to give these learners the best possible chance of success.”
Comment from the Northern Cape education department could not be immediately obtained. - Sapa