CMG3701 Assignment 4 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2025 – DUE 21 August 2025; 100% correct solutions and explanations.

CMG3701 Assignment 4 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2025 – DUE 21 August 2025; 100% correct solutions and explanations. Extract from CMG3701 Study guide. Progressive Pathways Academy organised an annual educational excursion to the Kruger National Park for its Grade 10 learners. The excursion was mandatory, with the school citing its educational value and aligning it with the Life Sciences curriculum. The PPA Excursion Policy explicitly stated that all learners must abide by the school's Code of Conduct throughout the trip, and that disciplinary action, including early dismissal from the trip at parental expense, could be taken for serious breaches. Parents had signed consent forms acknowledging these terms. During the trip, on the second evening, Thabo Mkhize and Lerato Ntuli were found by Ms Van der Merwe outside their designated lodging area, after curfew. They had, without permission, ventured into a prohibited, unsecured area of the camp, reportedly to try and spot nocturnal animals. While no immediate harm occurred, their actions created significant panic among the supervising teachers when they were discovered missing from their rooms. Ms Van der Merwe, after ensuring their safety and giving them a stern warning, immediately reported the incident to Mr Dlamini, the school principal Mr Dlamini, concerned about the safety implications and potential reputational damage to the school, decided that Thabo and Lerato should be sent home immediately. He contacted Mrs Mkhize, informing her of the incident and his decision, stating that her son had violated the PPA Excursion Policy and the school's Code of Conduct, and that she would need to arrange and cover the cost of his early return. He also informed her that a formal disciplinary hearing would follow. Mrs Mkhize was distraught. While acknowledging Thabo's misbehaviour, she argued that sending him home alone from Kruger National Park, late at night, was irresponsible and unsafe. She also felt that the decision to send him home was made without adequately hearing Thabo's full explanation or considering alternative disciplinary measures. She specifically stated, "You, as the school, are acting in loco parentis, and sending my son home alone in the dark is not something a responsible parent would do. You haven't even given him a chance to explain himself properly." During initial discussions with Ms Van der Merwe, Lerato privately confessed that Thabo had peer-pressured her into joining him, and that she had been hesitant but eventually succumbed. She was afraid to say this in front of Thabo, fearing repercussions from him. This presented a "conflict of learners" issue for the school: how to deal with a situation where one learner might have unduly influenced another, and whether their culpability should be viewed equally. Mr Dlamini, despite his initial decision, decided to consult with the School Governing Body (SGB) chairman, Mr Nxumalo, given the potential for parental backlash. Mr Nxumalo reviewed the PPA Excursion Policy and the Code of Conduct. He noted that while the policies allowed for disciplinary action and early dismissal, they did not explicitly grant the Principal unilateral authority to make such a decision without a formal hearing or a clear process for assessing the severity of the breach and the immediate safety of the learner being dismissed. The policy stated that "serious breaches may result in early dismissal," implying a discretionary power that needed to be exercised within the bounds of due process. Answer the following questions based on the scenario above. SECTION A Question 1 (25 marks) 1.1 Explain the concept of loco parentis and identify the specific duties of care Progressive Pathways Academy and its staff assumed towards Thabo and Lerato during the school trip. (4 marks) 1.2 Given the principle of loco parentis, analyse how Mr Dlamini's decision to immediately send Thabo and Lerato home from Kruger National Park, especially at night, aligns with or deviates from the expected standard of care for a responsible parent or guardian. (4 marks) 1.3 Differentiate between the school's general duty of supervision and its specific duty of care under loco