The deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Mr Floyd Shivambu, has urged parents and school governing body (SGB) members not to allow teachers or principals to go around drinking alcohol with pupils.
He was speaking during his back-to-school campaign at George Sonto Secondary School in Mahonisi Village, Malamulele, last Friday.
Shivambo donated five laptops to top performers of the matric class of 2017. He adopted the school in 2016, and so far he has donated study guides, overhead projectors, and soccer and netball kits.
"We must make sure that this school goes back to its former glory, where it used to produce better results. As parents you must make sure you take responsibility for the running of the school," he said.
"This year we must move from 87.5 % to 100% (pass rate), and to achieve this, all the stakeholders must play their part, including the traditional council. As you can see, our area is poverty stricken and the only thing to fight against this poverty is education," he added.
He encouraged pupils to stay away from alcohol and substance abuse in order to be successful in life.
The SGB chairman, Khazamula Mitileni, and acting principal, Mr Harry Hlungwani applauded Shivambu for giving the laptops to the school. "It will boost our pupils' self-esteem, so that they can produce good results. You must study hard and emulate Mr Shivambu," said Mitileni.