LYDENBURG- Thaba Chweu Boarding School is under fire over allegations of forced pregnancy testing and claims that some Grade 12 learners were barred from writing exams.
Parents have accused the school of gross human rights violations, saying female learners from Grades 7 to 12 were subjected to mass pregnancy screening without parental consent after a directive from the Bohlabela District for teenage pregnancy statistics.
According to a whistleblower who asked to remain anonymous, the testing was allegedly conducted without medical supervision, leaving learners as young as 12 to handle test kits themselves. One learner who allegedly tested positive was reportedly exposed to ridicule, instead of being referred for counselling and child protection support.
The crisis escalated this week when the school’s principal, Mr GL Montle, allegedly suspended a group of boarders via a parents’ WhatsApp group for arriving on Monday morning instead of Sunday afternoon. The learners were told to stay away until 6 September, 2026.
READ | 43 teenagers give birth on Christmas and New Year’s Day
This coincided with the Grade 12 September assessments. On Tuesday morning, a notice from the principal circulating on the school’s platform warned that a 22-seater taxi at the gate was disrupting the Life Orientation national paper.
“Take note that there is a 22-seater from yesterday that came back to disrupt the Matric exam. The paper cannot be delivered on time because of the security threat… Believe you me, our learners will write the paper today,” the notice read.
Mpumalanga Mirror understands the alleged suspensions directly prevented learners from writing the Life Orientation Common Assessment Task scheduled for today, 1 September.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education says it was not aware of the allegations but is taking them seriously.
In a response, spokesperson Gerald Sambo said the allegations of this nature which touch on the dignity, privacy and right to basic education are viewed in an extremely serious light. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any practice that violates the Constitution.”
The department confirmed it will deploy a team from the Bohlabela District to investigate.The department’s absolute priority is that no learner is prejudiced academically. Arrangements are being made to ensure that all Grade 12 learners scheduled to write are given unhindered access,” Sambo said.
The department added that if non-consensual testing is confirmed, psychosocial support will be provided and mandatory referrals made to Social Development and health authorities. It also reminded schools that suspensions must follow Section 9 of the South African Schools Act and that publishing minors’ information violates POPIA.
