Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga will decide on Monday if whether she will be closing down some or all of the six schools that got zero pass rate in matric.
The Department of Basic Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said that although closing down a school is their last resort, when push comes to shove, it just has to be done.
Six schools, three in Limpopo and three in Eastern Cape were reported to have obtained a zero pass percentage in the 20141 matric examinations.
“It will all depend on the report that we will receive on why the schools performed badly but closing down a school is the last resort.
“But if there is no other alternative, we will have to close them down,” said Mhlanga.
He said that in such cases where a school has to be closed down, they have to decide where the learners will be placed and make sure utilities like transport, if the school is further, are provided.
Mhlanga said running a school with fewer learners is not only costly but makes their jobs difficult when it comes to things like allocation of number of teachers.
“Closing down the whole school is also costly because then the entire school buildings become a waste,” he said.
Mhlanga reiterated that no decision has been made yet as Minister Motshekga still needs to meet with all the education MECs on Monday
-sowetanlive