Indermark Community is under siege

Editor: Mulamuleli Tshitangano 

It is unfortunate that this community after have been gone under various subjugation, marginalisation and demoralizations' by the spirit of neighbouring farmers, they are still under siege. By principals from varius schools who under circumstances who would exploit their position by excluding also potential leaders,  and chose those who are forced to dance to their tune for SGB meetings. We have instances here at Indermark in particular were the principals who would rather avoid various parental meetings, because of the grievances that will be raised with the connection of smooth running of the school. They would rather to have meetings when it fit them well, but when they're necessary issues sensitive things' to be discussed ,such as expulsions of learners, such as punishment, failurates particularly in those schools were certain teachers, are engage in businesses during school hours were you will find them in auctions, where they were supposed to be in the class. And you will ask yourself if they're at cattle auction had they sign the leave forms do they have valid reason to be out of the school during school hours. If this is the case that need to be challenge we have De Kock and Seun Veilingskrale at Vivo were teachers and principals normally attend cattle auction during school hours. But the case has not been followed, it has never been investigated. Most of the capable highly talented and professionals have been forced to evacuate and leave the institutions, because they were under pressure.

 
They were forced to abandoned teaching due to the pressure they have to witness inside the schools. Indermark is under siege because parents who are supposed to be visited in case of were learners' engage in bad behaviours could not be reached. Some of the principal come from 26,2 kilometres away from the village so it's not their interests to look out for learners. They don't even care about what learners are facing at home on their daily basis because they're not members of the community. Because at once stage some years back when community tried their level best to ensure that learner's needs are covered, because education is important, it should be punctual, very reliable, trustworthy and it should be taken seriously ,and it is no use to see our learners working on the neighboring farms when they were supposed to be at universities and colleges.

 Many many students who attended Marumofase secondary school are currently employed temporarily on the neighbouring farms and they work for three weeks, four weeeks and they come back home, but sometimes they don't even have access to resources which they could use for their own benefits. It is unfortunate that Indermark is under siege, besides we have now at the stage were workers on the farms they would rather pay a certain amount to be employed, they would  rather sacrifice maybe sometimes provide every material they can to get employed.

Indermark education system has of course disadvantaged learners' they do mathematical literacy whereas along the way they were doing pure maths which they would have a good foundation, which  is good for them to work on the farms because they are good in calculations of crates, bags, cows, pigs that's what they can do best, this is the reason why they do mathematical literacy because it is good for them to work on the farms. 

Indermark is under siege primarily because this principals who are currently travelling long distances to their institution must be forced to resign. We edge the members of the community especially SGB to consider the fact that our local, well qualified, professional and experienced teachers must take positions as principals.

We're very much happy today and excited that Mr Johannes Tlhaboloa our teacher, our student, member of the community is now heading the school at Indermark but apparently he is under siege, he is not given parental good support, but he knows this kids, whenever this kids give him problems he will contact  their parents individually, so if he were not the member of the community  he would not be in a position to do that, Mr Thlaboloa has also worked and served as the SGB, as the treasurer, as the secretary so he knows everything about SGB principles, policies and issues, every time now and again quarterly you will see parents going to attend the meeting in numbers to attend thier children's needs and participating in school affairs and supporting.

 But currently they are primary schools within the community where parents meetings are not called for because parents would raise sensitive issues. We have informal traders who have been forced and expelled out of the school and forced to stay away from the ground so that they will not be able to generate whatever little income to support their own families. When they go for trips, when they need books, in some instances we never heard of any institutions where parents who would have to pay for the books lost and deny the learners reports because they lost books. This is against the law, parents have to pay but learners should not be deprived the opportunity to view and see their results just because they lost books. 

 It should never be a case, it is never applied elsewhere, it is applied here because this principals take advantage because of the fact that most of the masses of Indermark are illiterates that they're pedis and they could be treated whatever way ,they're vulnerable to the extent they could be twisted into any direction they want.

 We hope if this message spread across the country, internationally, or elsewhere we will put Indermark on the spotlight so that this issues could be addressed as early as possible so that in ten years to come we would have probationary. But we're grateful for students who have attended our schools, they are doctors, lawyers, you can name them in governments elsewhere but today those who did not taken care of are roaming around in numbers, it is painful to see them walk in the street dejected, frustrated, confused but we hope some intervention will help to fix our community.