Johannesburg – The Department of Education in the Free State has launched a probe into the corporal punishment allegations at a Bethlehem school following images on various social media platforms indicating that the school principal allegedly punished a learner.
It is alleged that the principal of Ntsu Secondary School in Bethlehem used corporal punishment as a way to discipline a schoolgirl who reportedly failed to comply with the detention sanctions conditions at the school.
The department condemned the alleged use of corporal punishment against learners in the harshest possible terms.
“Corporal punishment has been banned and may not be used as a method of enforcing discipline in schools,” the department said.
The department urged principals, educators, learners, parents and any support staff to report the use of corporal punishment following the prescripts contained in Protocol to Deal with Incidences of Corporal Punishment in Schools.
According to the department, corporal punishment is a violation of children’s rights, physical integrity, dignity, health, development, education and the effects of it are far-reaching and can cause mental and physical harm to children as well as short and long-term aggression and anti-social behaviour in learners, even as they mature.
The department said it would continue to promote safety in schools and remind teachers of their responsibilities regarding the administration of discipline in schools.
It has also requested School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to mobilise all stakeholders to play a meaningful role in the abolition of corporal punishment in schools.
The department further said corporal punishment is not a solution to disciplinary problems in a school or any other setting and warned that harsh action would be taken against anyone who violates the prohibition on corporal punishment.
Current Affairs