Matsheng school head, Shadrack Keatlholetswe said students escape from hostels despite the considerable distances involved. Speaking during a recent school tour following a donation ceremony by Baitshephi Social Club, Keatlholetswe revealed that last Friday, five students from surrounding areas informed their parents of their desire to stay at home rather than remain in the hostels. Keatlholetswe explained to the media that the social work department expects parents to provide food and toiletries for their families when children are at home.
He said, unfortunately, many parents are unable to meet these expectations due to large family sizes. He added that despite these hardships, students persistently refuse to stay in the hostels. Keatlholetswe recounted a heartbreaking incident from last year, where a boarding girl escaped from the school hostel and was brutally murdered by her suspected boyfriend. Before this tragedy, he disclosed that disciplinary meetings had been held with the student, as it was not her first escape attempt. "Even now, students continue to escape, often claiming they are going to visit their partners who live outside the school borders," he said. The school head further revealed that some of these partners are farm workers. He said the farms are guarded by dogs trained to protect the property, which once led to an incident where police officers assigned to track and return escaped students were thwarted by the farm dogs attacking them. Matsheng school has also recorded three cases of teenage pregnancy, which Keatlholetswe described as significant.
