Teaching profession to require police clearance certificate

TEACHER unions have welcomed a new strict registration requirement by SA Council for Educators (Sace) which will not allow people to become teachers without producing a police clearance certificate from next year.

Council spokesperson Themba Ndhlovu said they had taken this step as allegations of sexual assault cases against teachers had spiked.

“What council is going to do in the process is advocating addressing university students who see themselves in the teaching profession, members of society and teaching profession to make them fully aware so that everyone, by next year, is ready,” Ndhlovu said.

He said Sace reported that the sexual offences and harassment culprits were mostly male teachers between the ages of 35 and 54. A total of 99 cases of misconduct were reported between 2016 and 2017.

Currently teachers registering with Sace only have to indicate whether or not they have a criminal record, but are not required to produce proof of this, Ndhlovu said.

“In the past, all foreign nationals registering with Sace needed police clearance certificates, but now with the increase in abuse cases, the body wants all members to do so. We are talking to the departments of social development and justice about gaining access to the national sex offenders register,” he said.

National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA’s Basil Manuel said: “We support the decision with some reservations, but acknowledge that systems must be put in place to ensure greater protection of our children.

“This is not enough to combat sexual cases as it is unlikely that all predators will exhibit these traits at the point of entering the profession.

“Continued and continuing measures must be put in place, with greater vigilance to ensure that we protect our children.

“We are not convinced that a police clearance will always be the final word and it may be enormously costly for a rural youngster about to enter the profession (not earning yet), as not all police stations do clearance.

“These registers are difficult to access, especially by the schools. The Protection of Personal Information Act assumes that permission from the person must be obtained to access their private information.

“No predator will grant this. Is this right not lost when you commit a crime?”