A number of teachers have been fired by the Department of Basic Education for sexually abusing learners, including getting some of them pregnant. File Picture: Lebohang Mashiloane/ African News Agency (ANA)
The Department of Basic Education has fired 36 teachers for raping, sexually abusing and impregnating learners across the country, following investigations and disciplinary action by the South African Council for Educators (Sace).
In a report that has been tabled by Sace, it said they investigated dozens of cases involving the sexual abuse of learners by teachers.
But Sace said the firing of 36 teachers is almost doubled the number of teachers who were fired the previous year.
Sace was tabling its annual report for the 2022/23 financial year in parliament.
It said it was concerned about the increase in the number of misconduct cases against teachers.
“During the previous financial year 2021/22, the council removed a total of 19 educators from the roll, which, in comparison to the 2022/23, the council removed a total of 36 educators from the roll,” stated the report.
It said the decision to remove a teacher from the roll would mean they have committed serious acts of misconduct.
“This implies such a teacher has no reasonable prospect of practising the teaching of the children, as they shall have lost their licence to teach indefinitely. Some educators whose names are removed from the register, end up with their names being entered into the register of persons declared unfit to work with children.
“This register is held by the Department of Social Development. These are educators who would have committed serious offences, including sexual misconduct – rape, impregnating a learner and sexual relations with learners broadly, fraud, and severe assault of learners,” said Sace in the report.
Sace chairperson Mabutho Cele said they had conducted investigations against teachers charged with misconduct for a range of offences.
He said they hauled a number of teachers before the disciplinary committee to answer on the charges against them.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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