The Free State Department of Education is calling on learners who have been victims of corporal punishment to report the incidents.
Department spokesperson, Howard Ndaba says it’s disappointing and concerning for them to hear incidents of corporal punishment still taking place at various schools across the province.
Ndaba was reacting to an incident, where a 12-year-old learner from Thubisi Primary School in Thaba Nchu, reportedly sustained injuries to her hands after allegedly being assaulted by her school principal with a plastic pipe.
The 57-year-old principal was arrested and charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He remains in custody until his court appearance on April 10th.
Ndaba elaborates, “We condemn this alleged incident, it’s in the strong possible term, as we know that since 1996, 1997 corporal punishment in our school has been outlawed, it is illegal and it should be thrown upon because it begets in gender violence in our school and it creates a condition of an unsafe environment in our school because we believe that our schools should be a safe environment where learners and children are being nurtured, in this case, we feel like this is unbecoming of the principal and as the result we’re investigating the matter, to make sure we come to the bottom of this.”
