EE said lesson should be learnt from school closure judgement

Loyiso Langeni
02 August 2013

Equal Education today said the judgment which saw 17 schools in the Western Cape keep their doors open shows how important education is in civil society. 

MEC of Education Donald Grant wanted to close the schools due to poor performance and declining numbers. 

Equal Education’s Attorney Lisa Draga said communities should have been involved in the process with the department from the start. 

Draga added that the lesson could be taken from it, is the value and the need to ensure that communities are properly informed and properly consulted when schools are to be closed.

“The court has emphasized that schools play an important role in communities,” Draga said.

She also said the decision to close schools is extremely sensitive and highly charged issue.