Cape Town – Sans Souci Girls' High School's school governing body (SGB) has suspended the teacher and pupil seen in an altercation in a video that has been met with outrage.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said the SGB had informed the two of disciplinary steps against them.
“All learners and teachers have been offered counselling. The school is investigating various programmes to offer their teachers on the management of discipline. The WCED does not condone the use of any violence in our schools.”
The video showing the teacher reprimanding the learner for not having the correct book and for having her cellphone out has gone viral on social media.
The pupil then responds to the teacher in a short exchange before getting off her seat and shoving the teacher, who in turn slaps her face.
The MEC for Education, Debbie Schäfer, said the actions of the teacher were unacceptable and no form of corporal punishment would be tolerated.
She added they had a zero-tolerance stance on learners who transgressed disciplinary codes by attacking or assaulting their fellow pupils or teachers.
The department also said that despite many saying the incident had been racially fuelled, this was not the case.
Meanwhile, the learner and the teacher laid cases against each other at Claremont police station.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana confirmed that the cases had been opened and were under investigation.
A group of pupils were on Thursday seen outside the school singing songs and embracing the teacher as she was leaving.