The attack of a Grade 2 learner from Middelpos Primary School has sparked outrage in the community.
The news that a teacher of the school is responsible has come to the attention of many other communities on the West Coast.
According to the aunt of the eight-year-old child, her niece arrived at school a little later than usual on Thursday, July 14. “Upon arrival, she went to change her uniform, and when I went to the room to check my phone, she said Mamma, look here, it’s painful. At first, I thought it was something small, but when I looked properly, she had a scar on her face, and finger marks showing that she had been slapped. She eventually told us that it was her teacher who hurt her like that,” the aunt explained.
What is also shocking to the family is that no one from the school contacted them to inform them about the incident.
“It was only after my mother went to report it at the school and the police that the teacher reached out.
Currently, the child has a problem with her right ear due to the hit she received. It is difficult for her to sleep on that side of her face. As a parent, this type of action was totally wrong. I myself was also a child who attended a school, but this has never happened to any of us. I was very surprised to see something like this happening within this new generation.”
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), said they are aware of the incident, which was reported by the school. “The matter has been reported to our Labour Relations directorate and will be investigated. The teacher has since been arrested. The WCED views allegations of corporal punishment in a very serious light, and we urge anyone with knowledge of such transgressions to report it. Corporal punishment is defined in the Abuse No More protocol as any deliberate act against a child that inflicts pain or physical discomfort used to punish or contain him/her. This includes, but is not limited to, spanking, slapping, pinching, paddling, or hitting a child with a hand or with an object.”
Hammond said the WCED encourages learners to report any abuse so it can be investigated and action taken if warranted. “We have a zero tolerance approach against abuse. Our Safe Schools hotline on 0800 45 46 47 is available for any learner wanting to report abuse. Schools have also been trained on how to handle abuse cases, and reporting is key.”
