Limpopo MEC for Education Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has conveyed her deepest condolences to the families of two Grade 12 learners who passed away last week.

A learner from Tshamahansi, outside Mokopane, in the Mogalakwena District, was allegedly killed after escaping from a study camp at Ben Hlongwane Secondary School.

It is reported that the learner was found with stab wounds outside the school premises. 

The circumstances of how the learner got out of the school is a subject of investigation by the department.

In another incident, a matric learner is believed to have drowned in a nearby river in Sekhukhune East. His body was retrieved on Saturday afternoon, five kilometres from where he was last seen.

The department urged parents, learners and society as a whole to work together to protect the youth and children.

“It is disturbing that in just one week we lost two Grade 12 learners under similar circumstances. The idea of affording learners extra lessons at the school premises was meant to keep them focused on their school work in an endeavour to improve the matric result.

“It is a great loss to the family and to us as the department. We have invested so much on these learners and we hope this will be the last incident,” MEC Lerule-Ramakhanya said.

Source: South African Government News Agency