DA calls for DBE to revise policy on school safety to protect learners from sexual assault
20 August 2021
The DA calls on the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to revise its policy and procedures related to curbing the scourge of sexual assault at schools.
This week during a presentation by the DBE and the South African Council for Educators (SACE) before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee of Basic Education regarding programmes implemented aimed to curb gender-based violence, specifically sexual assault in schools, it was revealed that between 2019/20 and 2020/21 there were 275 reported cases of sexual misconduct, of which only 50 have led to dismissals.
Further to this SACE reported that between 2015 and 2020 there were 583 cases of sexual misconduct reported in schools, of which 119 was rape and 273 was due to sexual relationships between teachers and learners.
The number of sexual misconduct cases at schools are said to be much higher considering that many incidents go unreported.
The DA calls government to prioritise the following areas to put an end to sexual abuse of learners at schools:
Proper vetting processes must be implemented for all basic education teachers, support staff, coaches and general workers.
The DBE must encourage schools to report all sexual offences to SAPS. There is a need for punishments for those who do not report such acts.
Create a policy whereby learners must be escorted by a vetted teacher or vetted teacher assistant to the bathroom.
In the event that the teacher cannot escort the learner, to consider and implement a buddy system for learners to escort each other to bathrooms to prevent predators from taking advantage of learners when they are alone.
At the beginning of this Women’s Month, a shocking report emerged that a 6-year-old learner was allegedly raped at a school in Soshunguve by a general worker – previous cases have been reported at the school in question.
Gender based violence and sexual assault is a societal ill that is plaguing our communities. Schools are a microcosm of our communities, and we must implement all forms of strategies to ensure our learners are safe from such threats. Not only should we use education as the best tool for gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, but we must implement immediate strategies to protect our learners from predators.
Issued by Desiree van der Walt, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Basic Education, 20 August 2021
