It is important for the peace of mind of parents that schools are, as far as possible, safe spaces for their children. While no school can cover every eventuality, it should at least mean that the education department is doing its best.
School grounds should be securely fenced, the buildings accessible and solid ablution blocks safe and hygienic, and there should be electricity and running water.
The Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure regulations were promulgated in 2013 to cover all these and other requirements.
Despite the intervening 12 years, the Eastern Cape education department appears to still be unable to overcome its growing school infrastructure backlogs and, to the anxiety of many parents, it means many schools are unsafe.
It creates an even greater obligation for school staff, who are effectively in loco parentis for many hours of the school day, to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.
There is so much more communities and schools can do to help prevent sexual assault
If the department does not do due diligence on applicants there is a danger that they will put predators rather than guardians in teaching positions.
The SA Council for Educators in 2019 issued a directive for police clearance certificates to be issued before new teaching appointments are made.
And yet, every year, the Dispatch runs dozens of stories of schoolchildren impregnated by teachers and of sexual assault in schools.
The department now admits that there are at least three people in teaching positions who not only have criminal records for sexual assault, but have had their names entered by court order onto the National Register for Sex Offenders.
That registry supposedly contains the names and other details of people convicted of sexual offences against children, mentally disabled people or other vulnerable groups.
The law says anyone listed on the register is prohibited from working with children or the mentally disabled.
That register is not currently accessible to the public, so there is an enormous onus on the education department to do all the due diligence required when appointing teachers or administrative staff at schools.
If three teachers somehow slipped through the cracks, the likelihood is that there are others who have done so too.
The department needs to do a comprehensive vetting process of all existing staff against the NRSO as well as the National Child Protection Register.
There is so much more communities and schools can do to help prevent sexual assault in our schools.
It requires training for staff, pupils and school leaders on consent, boundaries and how to recognise and report abuse, as well as creating safe mechanisms for reporting it.
But an essential start to prevention is for the department to ensure convicted predators don’t get access to our schools in the first place.
Daily Dispatch
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.