Nongoma teacher suspended for caning
The Nongoma pupils were apparently receiving punishment after failing a test.
ALTHOUGH corporal punishment has been banned in schools since 1996, it has come to light that there are still schools meting out such discipline.
The latest school to be investigated for corporal punishment is the Prince Tokotoko High School in Nongoma.
The principal claims she had no knowledge about corporal punishment being carried out at her school.
A video of an incident where a teacher was hitting her pupils with a metal pipe or stick emerged on social media about two weeks ago.
The pupils were apparently being punished for failing a test.
Education’s Manager of the Communication and Publications Directorate, Muzi Mahlambi, says during the investigations they picked up that the principal may have been aware of the offences, despite earlier denials.
‘While pleading ignorance, there was a lot of contradiction between herself and the School Governing Body (SGB).’
Mahlamba said the SGB had to intervene and speak to the school management and teachers about corporal punishment in the school last year.
The teachers apologised and it was believed that the matter was resolved.
Urgent investigation
Education MEC Nthandeni Dlungwana visited the school on Tuesday and after consulting with the principal, teachers, school governing body, pupils and parents, it became clear this was not the first time this form of punishment was used.
He said while cellphones are not allowed in schools, the department is grateful that another pupil was able to capture the footage.
‘We will not allow such incidents in our schools and we will take action against anyone found to be in transgression with the law.’
Dlungwane suspended the teacher with immediate effect.
Response
Meanwhile the Inkatha Freedom Party in KZN has called for a robust debate on effective, but legal forms of discipline after it was reported that parents at Prince Tokotoko High School in Nongoma said they were against the suspension of the teacher.
‘The steps taken by the parents by rejecting the KZN Education MEC’s action of suspending the teacher puts us in a situation where we need to have a robust debate on what forms of discipline should be used at schools.
‘We need to have this debate because corporal punishment is not allowed, but teachers are resorting to it because the Department of Education failed to provide proper disciplinary alternatives to teachers,’ said IFP KZN Provincial spokesperson on Education, Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa.
‘Discussion is needed about how children can be effectively disciplined and taught moral values.
‘Questions to be answered include what parents can do to improve the behaviour of their children so that teachers have pupils with a high level of self-discipline.’
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