Hlokomelo Mabogale
The highest court in South Africa, Constitutional Court ruled in 2018 against corporal punishment at schools but seems like it fell in the deaf ears of two teachers in Mpumalanga.
The provincial Department of Education placed the principal and an educator of Masizakhe Secondary School in Breyten in the Msukaligwa Local Municipality on precautionary suspension following allegations that they administered corporal punishment to learners.
In a statement, the department said these two suspended educators are amongst the three who were arrested by the South African Police Services on Tuesday after allegations of corporal punishment at the school were brought to the attention of the police and subsequently the Department.
However, the third educator involved in this alleged misconduct is the responsibility of the School Governing Body (SGB).
In return, the Department will convene a meeting with the SGB on Friday, 04 September 2020 to “advise them about the course of action to be undertaken,” said the department.
The educators will face Departmental Disciplinary Hearing as they are charged with misconduct. The Department said it will continue to render counselling to learners affected by the alleged misconduct.
