MOTSWEDI SECONDARY SCHOOL SGB RECOMMENDS EXPULSION FOR THE LEARNER WHO ASSAULTED THE TEACHER
The School Governing Body for Motswedi Secondary school near Zeerust recommended expulsion for the Grade 12 learner who assaulted a teacher recently. This comes after a disciplinary hearing which was held at school on Thursday, 23 July 2020.
The Grade 12 learner is said to have assaulted the educator on Thursday, 16 July 2020 within the premises of the school in full view of other learners when they were informed that their school will be closed due to a Covid – 19 case from one of the learners. The learners became unhappy with the announcement and started raising their voices and insulted the educators. One of the learners was seen wrestling with the teacher and head-butted him whilst others were continuing with insults.
The School Governing Body summoned the learner to a disciplinary hearing for violating the Code of conduct for learners.
Two amongst other serious misconduct charges leveled against the learner, were:
1. Endangering the safety or threatens fellow learners or educators,
2. Disrupts the school programme or violates the rights of others.
Which acts of misconduct are also considered to be very serious transgressions against the South African Schools Act.
The disciplinary hearing recommended a sanction/penalty of expulsion after the verdict of guilty was found by the SGB.
The said verdict and sanction were recommended to the Head of Department, who will either approve or disapprove it. If expulsion is approved, the learner ( in terms of procedure) will be given a five (5) days opportunity to appeal the decision of the Head of Department upon receipt thereof.
The appeal procedure is that such an appeal will be made to the MEC and the MEC would have a final word after considering the appeal.
The Provincial MEC for Education, Mmaphefo Matsemela is unable to express her take on the matter as she cannot be a referee and a player at the same time, but she generally supports the law that says that learners will never be allowed to be violent in schools.
Amongst the recommendations made by the SGB is that the learner be allowed to write his Grade 12 final examination at an alternative venue. The SGB further recommended that the learner be taken for counselling for anger management and to check if he is using drugs.
The School Governing Body has summoned eight (8) other learners who have been involved in the same incident. They are also expected to appear before the disciplinary hearing on Friday, 24 July 2020.
For more information, please contact:
Elias Malindi
072 892 8399/072 115 855
