IT is disturbing to note that even though corporal punishment in schools was abolished a long time ago, some teachers still use it to instill discipline.
This concern was raised by the Department of Education, uThungulu district director David Chonco, addressing teachers at the Empangeni High School for a one-day teacher fair.
‘It hurt me as a parent and as an official of the Department of Education to learn that some teachers, for reasons known only to themselves, are refusing to adhere to the policy of the department.
‘I was shocked to see a learner brought to my office last week with injury scars all over her body, a clear indication she had been beaten at school.
We are still attending to that case and one can assume that this was not an isolated incident in the district.
‘I’m making a passionate plea to all teachers to use alternative measures to corporal punishment to discipline learners. Corporal punishment is illegal and teachers could be charged for that,’ warned Chonco.
His sentiments were echoed by SADTU’s regional convenor Bongi Mabaso who pleaded with educators to focus on shaping learners, not destroying them.
In its second year, the teacher fair, which is union driven, aims to expose teachers to new and interesting ideas and showcase excellent work.
In partnership with Old Mutual and the Jika Imfundo programme, the fair also aims to provide space for peer networking and offers opportunities for information sharing and exchange support.
The head of the Jika Imfundo Programme, Prof Mary Metcalfe, said teachers were the most unrecognised professionals in the country despite their hard work in empowering the nation.
During the fair, teachers were divided into various groups and attended workshops which were facilitated by experienced educators and experts in specific areas of focus.
The sessions included reading to learn, mastering phonics to improve reading, teaching difficult mathematical concepts, science in the kitchen, practical thinking skills for the classroom, solution focused counselling skills for teachers, principals’s lounge, African story book and using technology to enhance teaching and learning.
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