A teacher at Sandi Senior Secondary School in the Eastern Cape has been suspended following allegations they assaulted a pupil.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education MEC, Fundile Gade condemned the incident, saying that it has been 28 years that corporal punishment was abolished at schools.
The Department launched a probe after pictures of a pupil with a swollen hand surfaced on social media, following an alleged assault by a teacher at the school in Libode.
“The department has swiftly moved to suspend the alleged perpetrator while investigation is under way and a multi-disciplinary team has been dispatched to investigate these allegations,” said Department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima.
The Department explained that the both the Amended South African Schools Act of 1996, Section 10 and the South African Council for Educators’(SACE) Code of Professional Ethics compels the educator never “to assault a learner”.
“Failure to abide by this has severe implications, including dismissal and de-registration by SACE,” Mtima explained further.
He said parents are always encouraged to open a criminal case with the police when any case of corporal punishment occurs.
“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 said the victim will also be subjected to psychosocial support from the department which includes debriefing and counselling, including with 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. We call upon all law-abiding citizens, including educators themselves, to distance themselves from these malicious and barbaric acts of practising corporal punishment. Failure to do so may lead to the termination of contracts for those found on the wrong side of the law,” cautioned Gade.
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