Education MEC intervenes as KZN pupils engage in fist-fight over desks

The shortage of desks in a classroom led pupils from Skofill Secondary School outside Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal to engage in a fist-fight.

In the incident on Friday, it is alleged that pupils fought one another inside the school premises but the exchange continued outside the school grounds. 

Videos of the incident have been circulating on social media. 

According to sources inside the school, the school has a serious desk shortage and some pupils have to learn while standing for the whole day. 

A teacher who tried to diffuse the situation was also allegedly assaulted.

After the incident, the education MEC in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbali Frazer, convened an urgent meeting with all relevant stakeholders at the school on Tuesday. 

Due to the seriousness of the matter, said the department, representatives from the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma local municipality, local traditional authorities and members of the community were part of the meeting. 

During the meeting, Frazer received a report that the school has a shortage of desks in some classrooms. 

This was reported to be the cause of the tensions. 

The department said they were disturbed by a report that the school management never submitted a request for additional desks. It said several maintenance issues at Skofill Secondary had not been reported to the department either. Some of the maintenance issues were said to be a result of crime and vandalism.

Frazer said she issued a directive that all the required desks and chairs be delivered to Skofill before February 17.  

“No learner must feel discouraged from attending school because of a shortage of desks and chairs,” said Frazer.  

All stakeholders agreed that internal disciplinary procedures should be followed regarding the learners involved in the fight.

Frazer told the officials of the department that the renovations of Skofill Secondary School must be prioritised, and directed that two mobile classrooms be delivered to the school before the end of February.

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