By REGINALD KANYANE
A teacher at Kebinelang Secondary School in Manthe village near Taung is under siege over assault allegations. It is alleged that, a teacher, Katlego Moncho assaulted a Grade 9 learner, Thomo Gaoboihe on 28 July 2022 during break time.
North West Department of Education spokesperson, Elias Malindi said: “The teacher saw some learners still hanging at the toilets, while the break was over. He then approached them and cautioned them about time.
“Other learners ran to the classrooms, however, Gaoboihe was immovable and did not carry the instruction. He was also wearing a red cap, which the teacher told him to take it off, but he refused.”
Malindi further said the learner started to become unruly and insulted the teacher. He added that the teacher forced the learner to go to the principal’s office.
“The learner alleged that the teacher manhandled him, Moncho refuted the allegations. So, our labour relations will investigate the matter in due course,” he said.
In March 2022, a learner (14) from the Living Faith Private School in Mahikeng, allegedly committed suicide after corporal punishment was handed to him. The deceased and another learner were allegedly fighting in class and the teacher who intervened took both of them to the staff room, where corporal punishment was practiced in full view of other teachers.
The learner went home, where he later committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope. In 1996, the South African Schools Act, under Section 10 banned the use of corporal punishment in schools. Despite the ban on corporal punishment 26 years ago, teachers are still hitting children at school.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) in North West said drastic measures should be taken against educators who continue to use corporal punishment against learners.
The COSAS president, Thabang Mokoena said: “Corporal punishment has a negative impact on learners. So, as COSAS, we are not happy to see that these cases are not resolved. We are aware that corporal punishment is still being practiced in various schools.
“This is happening and the department is turning a blind eye. We are saying to the department, we are fed up. Learners are being beaten in schools and nothing has been done. There are safety summits, which are held year in and year out to discuss such issues, but nothing has changed.”
Mokwena further said, what the department is doing is only ‘pep-talk’ with no implementation. He added that, the documents from previous safety summits are archived and continue to gather dust, while learners continue to be subjected to corporal punishment.
The Guardian 