If a school feels that the offence which the learner has committed is so serious that he or she should be expelled from the school, the learner can be suspended from the school while the provincial Head of Department decides whether or not to expel the learner. Only the provincial Head of Department can expel a learner from a school. The principal cannot make that decision. If a learner is expelled he or she can appeal against the Head of Department’s decision to the provincial MEC of education. The Head of Department has to make arrangements to place an expelled learner in another public school.