The Gauteng Department of Education has promptly responded to allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a female learner.
In a statement yesterday spokesperson Steve Mabona said, “The Department is disappointed and disturbed to learn of another picture circulating on social media, allegedly involving a learner and an educator in a compromising position, this time from Westridge Secondary School. We will dispatch a Dispute Management Team to the school to establish facts around the allegation and the outcome will determine the action.
Read the initial article here: Compromising photo surfaces of high school teacher and learner in bedroom
“The Employment of Educators Act 76 OF 1998 forbids personal relations of a sexual nature between educators and learners, even if the learner consents to sex. Any Educator who a) commits an act of sexual assault on a learner, student or other employee; or b) engages in a sexual relationship with a learner of the school where he or she is employed, partakes in serious misconduct and must be dismissed if he or she is found guilty. School managers have a legal and ethical duty to report such cases to the authorities,” said Mabona.
“The Department has a zero-tolerance stance on allegations of sexual assault and strongly condemns any acts of sexual misconduct in schools.
It is inappropriate for educators to partake in sexual relations with learners. Educators must not be distracted from their core mandate, refrain from all types of misconduct and focus on learning and teaching. We will monitor the situation,” he concluded.
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