Gauteng Education orders probe into sexual misconduct allegations at Soweto school

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has launched an urgent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving teachers and learners at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation in Emdeni, Soweto.

Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile directed the investigation, saying the allegations were being treated with the seriousness they deserved, particularly because they concern the safety, dignity and well-being of learners.

According to information formally submitted by the school, the principal referred a sexual harassment complaint involving an educator to the Johannesburg Central District Dispute Management Office on Friday, August 7, and requested urgent intervention.

ALSO READ: Gauteng Education terminates partnership after allegations of sexual assault

The complaint was made by a Grade 11 learner, who alleged that an educator made an inappropriate sexual remark to her during the second term. In her written account, the learner described the alleged interaction and said she later became offended and hurt after understanding the meaning of the remark.

A second learner who said she was present during the interaction also submitted a statement that substantially supported the allegation.

The teacher has denied making inappropriate remarks to the learner. In his written statement, he rejected the allegation and provided his account of the subsequent engagement at the principal’s office.

The department said it had also noted broader concerns raised by learner formations and members of the school community that other teachers may be implicated in separate allegations involving learners.

ALSO READ: Family reports alleged child abuse in Eldorado Park

However, the GDE said it would not treat claims about the number of teachers allegedly implicated as fact at this stage. The investigation will establish how many complaints have formally been lodged, which teachers are implicated, the nature of each allegation, when incidents were reported and what action was taken.

The department will also investigate claims that complaints involving inappropriate conduct may date back to 2022. School and district records will be examined to establish whether complaints were lodged during that period, who received them, how they were handled and whether officials fulfilled their responsibilities.

Where evidence shows that a complaint concerning a learner’s safety was reported and an official failed to act, attempted to conceal it, discouraged reporting or otherwise neglected their responsibility to protect learners, appropriate action will be taken.

ALSO READ: Lufhereng Secondary teacher suspended amid rape allegations

“We are dealing with extremely serious allegations. Schools must be places of safety, learning and development. No teacher or official has the right to use a position of authority to sexually harass, exploit, intimidate or violate a learner.

“Equally, no person entrusted with a complaint from a learner has the right to sweep it under the carpet. We will establish the facts and act decisively wherever wrongdoing is established,” said Maile.

Maile has directed that the investigation must go beyond the latest reported incident. The department will establish whether other learners have made similar allegations, whether these matters were previously reported to school management or departmental officials and what action was taken.

The department will also determine, based on the investigation and applicable employment processes, whether precautionary measures are required against any implicated employee. The GDE stressed that such measures, where warranted, would be intended to protect learners and the integrity of the investigation and would not constitute a finding of guilt before the relevant processes are concluded.

The department said it was mindful that learners who report sexual harassment or other forms of misconduct may fear intimidation, retaliation or not being believed. It therefore called for every learner who comes forward to be treated with dignity, sensitivity and confidentiality.

ALSO READ: Eldorado Park police station commander faces allegations of misconduct

Learner well-being at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation has previously required departmental and psychosocial intervention. Departmental records from April show that a psychosocial team visited the school following the death of a Grade 12 learner, providing psychoeducation and opportunities for learners to discuss their experiences.

During that intervention, learners expressed a need for teachers to receive similar support and said they sometimes felt misunderstood or dismissed.

The department said this reinforced the importance of creating an environment in which learners know that they can speak, that adults will listen and that legitimate concerns will be acted upon.

ALSO READ: Watch: Florida Avenue Primary School teacher embroiled in abuse allegations

“We must build a culture in every school where a child can report something uncomfortable or inappropriate without fear. The first responsibility of adults in our schools is to protect children. We will listen to the learners, parents and learner formations; we will examine the records, and we will hold accountable anyone against whom wrongdoing is established through a fair process,” added Maile.

The GDE has called on parents, learners, learner formations, teachers and anyone with relevant information to co-operate with the investigation. It urged anyone with additional allegations to formally report them so they can be documented and investigated.

The department also called on the media, organisations, community members and social media users to protect the identities of affected learners and avoid publishing information that could directly or indirectly identify them.

ALSO READ: PA denies allegations against councillors

The GDE will continue working with the school, Johannesburg Central District officials, learner formations, learner-support structures and, where necessary, law-enforcement and child-protection authorities.

“We will neither protect perpetrators nor prejudge allegations. Our responsibility is to protect learners, establish the truth and ensure accountability. Every learner who enters a Gauteng school must know that their dignity, safety and right to education are non-negotiable,” concluded Maile.