The Eastern Cape Department of Education has suspended two educators, including the principal, of a Senior Secondary School in Dutywa, for alleged sexual misconduct.
According to the Department of Education spokesperson, Mali Mtima, the two were suspended following a preliminary investigation prompted by whistle-blower information.
“Initial reports indicate two male educators targeted up to 12 girl learners, age 17 to 18. In terms of the Employment of Educators Act there are six types of serious misconduct specific to teachers, and five of those include sexual assault, sex with learners, serious assault, drug possession and getting a learner involved in any of these offences, which now carry a lifetime ban from re-employment,” said Mtima.
He said that teachers were found guilty of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment of learners, can never work again at a public school.
According to Mtima, the new terms and conditions of employment of educators were gazetted in 2021 to deal with cases of sexual misconduct in schools.
MEC for Education, Fundile Gade, said that they were horrified by this matter.
“It is clear that there are serious challenges at the school that we need to attend to as a department. We will deploy our counsellors to assist in the meantime, while the disciplinary processes continue,” said Gade.
Gade said that it is gender-based violence targeting vulnerable learners and the Mbhashe Teenage Pregnancy Project has also been redirected to the school to ensure more education and support for all learners.
“The two officials, an educator and a principal, have now been placed on precautionary suspension to enable the core alleged victims and witnesses to express themselves without fear of intimidation.”
Gade called for more community support for learners, especially in this period of mid-year examinations.
“This period needs a renewed commitment towards safety of our children. We have to do everything possible to restore the faith and trust of the victims to the system, both as parents and government.”
The Director for Khula Community Development, Petros Majola, confirmed that he had visited this school after he received a lot of phone calls informing him about these incidents.
“This school is one of the schools leading in learner pregnancy. I heard that the teacher and the principal have been suspended due to sexual misconduct. I did not go there to emphasise that the two have to be suspended. In our organisation we do not suspend nor fire teachers. My aim of visiting the school was to encourage both learners and teachers so that this situation does not lead them to under-perform when it comes to final results,” said Majola.
Police spokesperson, Warrant officer Majola Nkohli, confirmed that the Dutywa Police Station has no case of sexual misconduct opened against any educator.
“SAPS would like to advise anyone who is the victim of sexual offences to report such offences at the police station,” said Nkohli.
