Johannesburg -
The national congress of school governing bodies said on Thursday it was saddened by the allegation that a teacher had showed porn to a class at Edenglen High School in Gauteng.
“Teachers are role models and play a very important role to sharpen our children to reach their destiny,” the body's secretary general, Pastor Monokoane Hlobo, said in a statement.
He said teachers should behave like parents to learners.
“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and appeal to the Department of Basic Education and the South African Council of Educators to investigate and deal with matter as of yesterday.”
Earlier, the Gauteng Education Department said a life orientation teacher, who allegedly screened pornography on his class projector by accident, was served with a notice of intention to suspend him.
“We have instituted an investigation into this matter with the view to act,” said spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane.
She said the pupils were receiving counselling.
“We are extremely disturbed by these allegations. The safety of children at our schools is a priority.”
According to a report in the Sowetan newspaper, the Grade 10 teacher told pupils to busy themselves with work he gave them while he prepared an exam they were soon to write.
The teacher then reportedly began surfing pornographic sites, unaware his laptop was still connected to the class projector. - Sapa