Teacher dismissed by GDE after Swaneville learner assault
Following several disciplinary hearings, the Gauteng Department of Education confirms that the teacher who assaulted a learner at a school in Swaneville last year has been dismissed.
The Gauteng Department of Education has dismissed a teacher at a primary school in Swaneville following a case of misconduct.
The teacher at the school assaulted a learner during a lesson in class in June last year. The Krugersdorp News interviewed the child and his parent which led to a case being filed against the teacher and the principal.
The young victim told the News at the time what led to the incident. He explained that while the educator was teaching, he had a minor chat with a classmate and asked to borrow some stationery. The teacher then became physically violent by hitting him with a fist on his forehead. According to the child’s mother, the teacher also grabbed him by his hair and banged his head against the wall, which led to severe injuries and bleeding out of his ear.
• Read the initial article here: Teacher assaults learner in Swaneville: His head was banged against the wall – mother
The victim required medical attention as he suffered a mild headache and was taken to a clinic. The mother opened a case of assault at the Kagiso Police Station and when she reported the incident to the school principal she was never given clarity nor an explanation as to what would happen to the teacher. She claimed he was discouraging and dismissive. However, the Gauteng Department of Education(GDE) would eventually get involved in the case.
On April 4 following an investigation and hearing, the GDE confirmed that the case had been resolved and that the teacher was found guilty and dismissed. GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed that the necessary steps were taken to ensure that the child received justice, as the principal was also charged for not reporting the matter to the GDE.
“The department can confirm that a disciplinary hearing against the said principal was finalised and charged accordingly, which did not warrant dismissal. Furthermore, necessary Psycho-Social Support was offered to all affected by this unfortunate incident. We condemn any form of assault on learners in schools as corporal punishment is outlawed by the Constitution and the South African Schools Act. Cases of corporal punishment and other disciplinary matters are referred to the Labour Relations Unit for thorough investigation, counselling and consequence management,” Mabona said.
The mother of the child was happy about the outcome following the case.
“We are happy that the department listened to our side of the story and that everyone involved in this situation was held accountable,” she said.
