Cape Town - A troubling incident at Darul Arqam Islamic High School in Eastridge, Mitchell’s Plain, has raised concerns about learner privacy and how the school handled a sensitive situation during the high-stress matric exams.
The mother of an 18-year-old learner said her daughter was questioned by the school secretary about being pregnant and was told not to tell her mother about her being questioned.
The mother expressed her shock, saying: “The fact that my child was questioned by the secretary and told to not tell me boggles my mind.”
The mother also criticized teachers for conducting their own investigations and gossiping among themselves.
She recalled how distressed her daughter was when she came home.
“I could not believe the state my daughter was in when she got home, I could see she was crying.”
The mother described comforting her daughter, who was under stress.
“If they were so concerned about her well-being they should have reached out to us as parents, they should have known that distracting a child during the matric exams could have serious implications.”
While the origin of the rumour that the learner was pregnant is unclear, the mother found the handling of the situation by the school particularly troubling.
“The proper thing to have done was to get the situation under control, speak to the educators and those doing the questioning and then call us in and apologise.”
The situation escalated when the school allegedly interviewed a 16-yearold learner, questioning him about being the possible father of the child.
“Whether my daughter is pregnant or not is not their concern, the handling of the gossiping situation by staff is. They acted out of line and this is clear misconduct,” the mother said.
She expressed concern regarding the stressful impact on her daughter's exam performance.
“I am doing this because I want Darul Arqam to know that they are not above the law, making you a private school doesn’t put you above the law.”
In response, the school denied the allegations, emphasising that learner well-being is a top priority.
The school said the secretary's concern was based on visible signs that the learner wasn’t feeling well.
It also clarified that the questioning of the male learner was due to observed changes in his behaviour.
“These actions do not in any way amount to gossip or the spreading of rumours.”
The school said it had invited the parents to a meeting to discuss the matter, but the parents declined, choosing to pursue other options.
“The lack of cooperation from the parents has made it difficult for the school to investigate or resolve the matter effectively,” the school said.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za
Cape Argus