Motshekga says the pupils, however, should not be afraid to raise their concerns about the policy rules but it should be a matter tackled internally through dialogue.
In a separate statement, the Ministry added that Provincial Education Departments are not mandated by the South African Schools Act (SASA) to review or approve the learner codes of conduct in schools.
Pretoria Girls' High School's hair policy has caused a national outcry with many associating it with racism against black learners.
However, Motshekga says there is nothing wrong with the issue as it is part of the school's code of conduct and it has got nothing to do with racism.
She added that schools' policies differ so the matter should be dealt with by the school-based structures including parents' bodies.
“If you look at those rules you can see that they are standard rules that you find in most codes of conduct. I looked at them. If you look at those rules they look innocent, its perhaps in the implementation where difficulties came, that’s why I am saying am glad those girls raised it that I am mixed breed my afro hair is not a wig. They should have raised it through their parents and parents raise it through parents bodies and for me it’s just shows the weakness of our own internal structures. It’s a matter that I don’t think is too controversial. If kids are going to bring fancy dreadlocks to the school then it’s a problem, a school is a school but also we don’t want to infringe on their rights to say Afro is not acceptable,” says Motshekga.
Motshekga says, “These things should have been resolved at schools. It was supposed to be resolved there also its important for parents themselves to take up a conscious and deliberate activity, because if parents of African kids felt that there was a problem with the rules they should have raised it so that those kids are not forced to fight battles on their own. I am really not apologising for schools, transformation is responsibility of all of us that’s why we have to keep on having a dialogue.”
Motshekga says parents and other school-based structures need to work together so that they can bring unity to the teaching and learning fraternity for the benefit of all.
SABC