Level of caning high at Cape schools

Francesca Villette

SINCE the beginning of the year, 321 Western Cape teachers have been charged with misconduct on allegations that they had meted out corporal punishment.

Just more than a year ago, the South African Council for Educators reported that of 182 complaints of misconduct against teachers, a staggering 115 were in the Western Cape.

Investigations by the Western Cape Education Department this year have led to 115 teachers being found guilty of misconduct and sanctioned, including final written warnings coupled with fines.

Some teachers were also referred to the Employee Wellness Programme for classroom management.

Currently, 89 cases of corporal punishment are pending.

A total of 117 cases were dismissed this year as there were no grounds to charge the teachers.

WCED spokesperson Paddy Attwell said reports of assaults and alleged assaults were not restricted to any education districts.

“It can happen at any school in the province. We view abuse of children in a very serious light and investigate whatever claim we receive,” Attwell said.

StatsSA reports in its general household survey, released in May, that 13.5 percent of pupils claim they are physically assaulted by their teachers.

National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa) president Basil Manuel said the fact that 115 teachers were found guilty this year of corporal punishment was “absolutely shocking”.

Manuel said the abuse by teachers spoke to a failed disciplinary system, both at schools and in the homes of pupils and teachers.

“There is definitely a crisis. Very little support is given to teachers on how to deal with errant children and many children are not taught how to behave properly. But that does not for one second give any teacher the right to lay their hands on a child,” Manuel said.

francesca.villette@inl.co.za