The Department of Education in North West has refuted allegations of being lax in taking action against a male educator who allegedly assaulted a female teacher’s assistant at a school in Potchefstroom.
A 29-year-old teacher’s assistant opened a case with police against the male educator after he allegedly sprayed sanitizer in her right eye. The provincial Department of Education has restricted the alleged victim and perpetrator from speaking to the media and has also refuted allegations of being slow to take action.
“After the incident happened, the victim immediately raised the matter with the HOD, and then the HOD reported to the deputy principal who immediately issued an instruction that she must be taken to the local clinic and then from the local clinic she was then transferred to the local hospital. And after she reported to the hospital she then went to open the case with the police without reporting to her immediate seniors at the school,” spokesperson Department of Education in North West Elias Malindi.
Malindi says the department has dispatched a team to investigate the matter which has recommended that the victim be relocated to another school while the matter has been referred to the department’s labour unit for further investigation.
