An angry mother has taken her fight to have her daughter enrolled at a prestigious Gqeberha high school to its front gate after her application was rejected, with the education department claiming she had misrepresented the child’s primary school accolades.
EFF members joined Summerstrand resident Nomsimbithi Zamisa-Nkumanda outside the Pearson High School entrance on Wednesday, demanding to speak to the principal and be given an explanation as to why her daughter was not admitted to attend grade 8.
Though Pearson declined to comment, the education department said the school was full and that an investigation had shown that certain information pertaining to the pupil’s sporting achievements was allegedly fictitious.
However, Zamisa-Nkumanda denied the claims and demanded a full explanation for her daughter’s rejection.
“My [daughter] achieved good grades, she was good at sport, she was a prefect and we live in Admiralty Way, which is within walking distance from the school.
“Now they want to send my daughter to Victoria Park High School,” she said.
“She has already missed the first week of school and she hardly comes out of her room now.”
Leading the protesters on Wednesday, the EFF’s Amandlangawethu Madaka said they were demanding answers.
“The school said the mother misrepresented, but they did not say what she got wrong.
“This girl deserves a space at the school and we want answers on why she has been denied this opportunity,” Madaka said.
Staff at the school said education officials were aware of the situation and referred all questions to the provincial department.
Department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the child’s application was done in March 2022.
However, Pearson had already reached capacity for new grade 8 pupils.
The school subsequently said she would be put on a waiting list and could join the school in 2024 if there was space.
The department had notified the girl’s mother that it had been able to secure space for her daughter at Victoria Park High School for 2023 in the interim.
“The mother refused and was adamant that her daughter attend Pearson.
“However, in the meantime the school and department looked into the girl’s application and found certain accolades that could not have been possible,” Mtima said.
He said the girl’s application referred to a sporting achievement in 2021 that was not possible because Covid-19 regulations were still in place and prevented most sporting activities.
“It would appear that they [allegedly] misrepresented the girl’s accolades in order to secure a space at the school, which in turn would deprive another deserving child of that space.
“The school and the department considered this to be dishonest and we view this in a very serious light.
“For that reason her application was declined and her name removed from the 2024 waiting list,” Mtima said.
He said the department would assess the girl’s case and attempt to secure space elsewhere for her this year.
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