Zonnebloem Nest Senior School is a public school in Cape Town that caters for learners from the city, as well as surrounding townships. It is renowned its dedication to the dramatic arts. But earlier this year Western Cape MEC for Education Donald Grant told its learners that he is considering closing their school at the end the year because it is underperforming.

Last year Zonnebloem achieved a pass rate of 85% and in 2010 it achieved a pass rate of 73%.  In 2006 it was awarded a certificate by the Western Cape Education Department (the Department) for achieving a pass rate that consistently showed an improvement over the previous three years, while maintaining or increasing enrolment levels of full time candidates in Grade 12. It is therefore baffling that MEC Grant has cited underperformance as a reason for the school's possible closure. 

It has been suggested by principal Jonty Damsel that the school is facing closure because the Department is no longer willing to finance the school’s rental on a property close to the city centre. Concerns have also been raised that it is being closed because its learners, who mostly live in townships, come from outside the “school-community”. 

The integration of our cities is crucial to the future of the country! A school, in the city centre, providing a reasonable quality education to township youth should be protected. 

Help Equal Education keep Zonnebloem open!

Zonnebloem is one of 27 Western Cape schools MEC Grant is considering closing. A number of the school closures -- although not Zonnebloem -- are likely to be legitimate, but EE and the public cannot be assured of this yet because the Department has refused to reveal the information that MEC Grant is using to make his decisions.

This information would reveal the academic results of the 27 schools and the interventions the Department undertook before considering closure. Without this learners, parents, teachers and communities cannot engage meaningfully with the Department.   

Equal Education calls on MEC Grant to keep Zonnebloem Nest Senior Schools open and to release the information he used to select the 27 schools facing closure.   

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Read more:

Equal Education Appeals Western Cape Education Department’s Refusal to Release Information on Closure of 27 Schools, EE Press Release 

Equal Education speaks at COSATU-SADTU-ANC press briefing on proposed closure of 27 schools in the Western Cape, EE Press Release