All new teachers to be vetted
Gauteng wants a sex pest register to identify offenders
No teachers in Gauteng will be hired next year without being vetted.
This was a message delivered by Gauteng education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi at a consultative summit between his department and independent schools that was held in Midrand, Johannesburg, yesterday.
Lesufi also supported the naming and shaming of all sex pest teachers.
“Beginning of next year we should have a database that is publicly available and no teacher in Gauteng will be hired without being vetted. This database will have to be shared between the department and independent schools,” Lesufi said.
He said this amid the increasing number of teachers being suspended for sexual misconduct.
The summit laid a foundation for a collaborative effort between the department, independent schools as well as the associations of independent schools to build a culture of tolerance, respect and to root out unfair discrimination.
Lesufi pleaded with the sector to be humane in handling pupils with unpaid fees.
“The department should not be treated as a dumping area. If there is a problem with payment of fees, that should be resolved with the parent and not hinder the right to basic education of pupils. There is also a problem of underperforming schools. In this province, 80% of those schools come from independent schools. We can’t agree as the department to have schools that will pull us down,” Lesufi said.
The department and association made a declaration to ensure that no pupils will be excluded from learning on the basis of failure of parents to meet financial obligations.