This follows after one of their Grade 12 learners died on Monday, according to the Free State Department of Education.

Departmental spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, says the learner passed away en route to the local hospital shortly after he fell ill while writing Maths Paper 2. He confirms the department and a team from learner support services will visit the family of the 21-year-old Johnny Williams to provide counselling.

“We want to take this opportunity as the Free State Department of Education to convey our heartfelt condolences, not only to the family of this learner but to his fellow learners and teachers. May his soul rest in peace. From 11:00  on Tuesday we will be deploying our psychologists and social workers to provide counselling to both teachers and learners who may have witnessed this unfortunate incident,” said Ndaba.

Education MEC Tate Makgoe has meanwhile also expressed his condolences with the family, stating that Williams was unfortunately “certified dead while he was ferried by the ambulance to the hospital”.

OFM News