PRINCIPALS must refrain from preventing pupils from participating in matric farewells. These events should be dealt with separately from any other responsibilities of their parents.
This event has over the years became an integral part of the final year of any pupil. The financial implications of these events must be explained to pupils and that they can fund-raise, seek sponsors or get a part-time holiday and weekend job to fund it, as was in my case for my matric farewell.
School responsibilities which are solely to be dealt between the parents and the school should not hamper the pupil from attending a memorable occasion such as his/her matric farewell.
One pupil who won a matric farewell package of a car and clothes through a radio competition was also told by a school he could not attend the farewell because his parents did not attend to certain matters that can only be dealt with by parents and the principal. Pupils and especially our matrics should never become the victims of these disputes.
Some parents are blatantly irresponsible and careless, and these matrics must fend for themselves in a world where the law is only the fittest, or in this instance the rich, survives. Let us not punish the pupils because their only sin was being born into a disadvantaged family
Christian Martin, ANC MPL, Bhisho
Letters
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