SACE investigates corporal punishment at KZN school

The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed the investigation against a teacher for alleged corporal punishment.

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SACE TO INVESTIGATE TEACHER FOR CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

The South African Council of Educators has heeded the call by the DA to investigate the incident that occurred at a Phoenix School a month ago.

According to the family, the learner was allegedly beaten up after failing to arrive at school with R10 which was requested (for reasons unknown to the family), as they could not afford to do so.

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The family says that the learner was beaten with a plastic pipe.

SECTION 10 OF SCHOOLS ACT

Section 10 of the Schools Act prohibits corporal punishment in schools, and states that:

(1) No person may administer corporal punishment at a school to a learner 

(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence, and liable on conviction to a sentence which could be imposed for assault.

DA CONDEMNS CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

The DA condemned the punishment metted out by the teacher and says that incidents such as these are prevalent in schools across the province.

However, the DA has questioned MEC Mbali Frazer silence over the matter.

“The question is: Why the MEC is sitting on her hands when assaults such as this continue to take place under her watch?” questions DA KZN Education spokesperson Imraan Keeka.

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“This educator must be held thoroughly accountable at every level, without fear and favour” demands Keeka.

Keeka has called on Frazer to issue out an urgent circular reminding teachers in the province that such punishment is illegal.