POLL| Durban schoolkids want smoke breaks: Do they have a valid argument or nah?

Classes at Roseville Secondary School in KZN have been suspended due to protesting students who are demanding smoke breaks.

The students, who refused to attend classes last week, are demanding a smoke break each day between 8am and 9am at a designated area in the school grounds.

However, provincial education authorities are having none of it. Provincial education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa told TimesLIVE that they are not going to be "held to ransom by children".

"They are supposed to be in class learning, and we will not negotiate with them," he said.

The protesting students are reportedly younger than 18, which is the legal smoking age in SA and do not have a leg to stand on in this case, according to Vee Gani from the KZN Parents' Association. Gani  told Post that the demands were unacceptable.

"Smoking under the age of 18 is illegal. This is a criminal offence. Pupils seem to have a sense of entitlement and believe they have the right to make these types of demands. This needs to stop. Education in our country is struggling. Pupils need to respect teaching and learning at school."