Pretoria pupil lost tip of finger in ‘accident’ as kids were pushing to open door – education dept

An incident last week at Laerskool Booysens in Pretoria which resulted in a Grade 6 pupil losing the tip of one of his fingers is said to have been an “accident”.

Gauteng department of education spokesperson Steve Mabona visited the school on Monday to gather facts about the incident after it was brought to the department’s attention.

Briefing the media following a meeting with the school, Mabona said it was believed the incident happened while pupils were changing classes on 20 February.

An educator who had been teaching in the classroom just moments earlier had closed the door on the way out to another class. Minutes later, pupils arriving for the next period started jostling to open the door, resulting in the accident.

“While in the other class, he [the teacher] heard noise and within a minute there was this noise and unfortunately the child was then injured. There was pushing of learners in that class because they had to unlock the gate of that door and wanted to access the class, so during that process there was pushing which resulted in the victim being clicked by the door (sic). We are told he didn’t even realise that happened,” Mabona said.

The pupil was taken for medical assistance after the school made contact with his parents.

Mabona said the boy’s parents, however, were concerned about how the police had handled the case. He added that there had been no violence involved and the incident appeared to have been an accident.

Mabona referred questions about why a case wasn’t initially opened by the police.

He said the department would be interacting with the school governing body on the matter.

“Counselling could not proceed because the child was not even at school. The child only came back today. The counselling of other learners who may have witnessed has started today. The victim will also receive that support, including the parent,” Mabona said.

Mabona added that the department would also be meeting with the pupil’s parents to discuss the issues they had raised, including that of compensation.

He said they would be working with the department’s legal team during the process.

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