The Department of Basic Education has expressed disappointment at the lack of immediate communication by two schools in Gauteng following the fatal drowning of two learners.
On Wednesday 13-year-old Grade 7 learner, Keamohetswe Shaun Seboko, was found dead in a hostel swimming pool at Learskool Bekker in Magaliesburg.
Also on Wednesday Grade 8 Parktown Boys High learner Enock Mpianzi went missing while on a school excursion in the North West.
His body was found in the Crocodile River on Friday.
The provincial department was only notified late on Friday about Seboko’s death and learned late on Thursday about Mpianzi’s disappearance.
National Department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga says thorough investigations must be conducted into both incidents.
He says: “We are extremely shocked and saddened by these because we didn’t expect that we would start off in this way.”
“I mean the families of those learners are grieving at the moment and we convey our condolences to them.”
Mhlanga says it is quite shocking that learners would still be drowning and when one listens to what is being said about the circumstances around it, it does indicate that some more investigation needs to be conducted to understand why a learner would drown.
“Where were other people, I mean there are rules, there has to be someone to take care of them. The has to be measures put in place to make sure that everyone is alive and that all activities undertaken are safe,” adds Mhlanga.
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