Education activist groups The Teddy Bear Foundation and SECTION 27 welcomed a court-approved settlement, which is aimed at strengthening child protection in schools.

The settlement obliges the Department of basic Education (DBE) and provincial education departments to verify all employees against the National Child Protection Register by March 31, 2027.

The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria approved a settlement agreement between the parties on July 28 and upheld it as a court order.

The order requires that all individuals working with children must be checked against the Child Protection Register to ensure that persons unsuitable to be in contact with children are not appointed in such posts.

According to The Teddy Bear Foundation and SECTION27, measures are aimed at helping to secure children’s rights to safety, dignity and basic education, while also promoting greater accountability within the education system.

Spokesperson Gillian Pillay of SECTION 27 said the steps are essential to strengthen the protection of children in schools.

The South African Teachers Union  supports the court order against the DBE and the obligation that all educational staff who have contact with learners must be verified against the Child Protection Register.

Paul Sauer, CEO of SAOU, said allegations of sexual misconduct by educators point to serious challenges in South African society.

According to him, the best interest of the child is the building block for the education system, and schools must remain safe spaces where the focus is on teaching and learning.

Sauer pointed out that the challenge of child protection cannot be solved by registration and verification alone.

According to him, the process must also address systemic problems that can affect children’s safety.

The organisation emphasised that the lack of capacity at police stations and the Department of Justice can also put learners at risk.

According to Sauer, the inability of a system to properly investigate and prosecute offenders can result in sexual offence cases being delayed for long periods of time.

“The improvement of the Child Protection Register Verification Process should be part of the broader effort to address the challenges within the system. The investigation and follow-up of possible offences should receive sufficient attention to ensure that children are protected,” said Sauer.

He argued that the verification process should be extended to educators who leave the public school system, but then start working in other provinces or in private education systems.

In addition to staff verification, he emphasised the importance of funding preventive programmes.

“Support structures for emotional well-being at school level, as well as sufficient availability of social workers, must be prioritised,” Sauer believes.

He emphasised that the safety and protection of learners are not only the responsibility of educational institutions, but also required the involvement of the wider community.

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