Teacher suspended after beating a learner

The Eastern Cape Department of Education, MEC Fundile Gade condemns schools that still practise and administer corporal punishment, 28 years since its abolishment in the republic of South Africa.

According to the Eastern Cape Department of Education spokesperson, Mali Mtima this followed after pictures of the Grade 12 learner from Sandi Senior Secondary School in Ngqeleni surfaced on social media with a swollen hand from an alleged assault by an educator.

He said that the department has swiftly moved to suspend the alleged perpetrator while investigation is underway.

He added that the multi-disciplinary team has been dispatched to investigate these allegations.

“Both the Amended South African Schools Act of 1996, Section 10 and the South African Council for Educator’s (SACE) Code of Professional Ethics compels the educator never “to assault a learner” as corporal punishment has been declared by the law. Failure to abide by this has severe implications including dismissal and deregistration by SACE,” said Mtima.

He added that, despite that, parents are always encouraged to open a criminal case with the police when any case of corporal punishment occurs.

According to him, even in this case, the department will side with the victim, and her parents as such will be encouraged to open a case of common assault with the police, while the department is also continuing with its internal investigation.

Mtima added that furthermore, the leaner and her peers at school will also be included in a training workshop on what to do should such happen again, where to report and all.

“This move seeks to restore public faith in the system while encouraging cooperation between educators, learners and parents. The victim will also be subjected to psychosocial support from the department which includes debriefing and counselling including her parents.”

Gade urged the stakeholders to respect the rule of law while practising teaching in schools. 

“Acts of this nature by our educators seek to embarrass the sector and the profession, simply because educator unions representing educators are signatory to SASA of 1996 which abolished corporal punishment and declares it as crime against children. We call upon all law-abiding citizens including educators themselves to distance themselves from these malicious and barbaric acts of practising corporal punishment,” said Gade.

He added that failure to do so may lead to the termination of contracts for those found on the wrong side of the law.