SEX TEACHER CLEARED TO GO BACK TO CLASS

‘HE’S CORRECTED HIS WAYS’

A TEACHER found guilty of breaching the code of conduct by having a sexual relationship with a pupil may soon be back in class.

The Gauteng department of education is forging ahead with the reinstatement of the teacher – whose name is known to Sowetan – at Masithwalisane Secondary School in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni.

Last week, Sowetan reported that the teacher was allegedly caught having sex with a 17-year-old matric pupil in a school block.

Parents were up in arms and refused to allow the teacher back for fear of their children’s safety.

Acting department spokesman Oupa Bodibe confirmed the investigation, saying the teacher was found guilty of sexual harassment and dismissed.

However, he appealed and the dismissal was lifted.

“The educator was dismissed in July 2015. He appealed in July 2015 and the sanction was changed from dismissal to a three-months’ salary suspension,” Bodibe said.

He said that after the sanction, the department suggested that the teacher should resume teaching.

Bodibe did not respond when asked how the department lost its case on appeal. “We are still busy with negotiations with the school governing body to take him back.”

He said the department believed that the teacher would not commit the same offence again.

“The discipline was not punitive but corrective. Therefore, we believe that he has corrected his behaviour. He will be under close supervision of the school management team and district officials.

“If the conduct continues, the dismissal will be implemented without [an] option of appeal. The matter has also been reported to the Sace (South African Council for Educators) for consideration.”

According to Sace’s code of professional ethics, teachers cannot have sexual relations with pupils.

Bodibe said the department had “no records of reported cases regarding educator-learner sexual relationship” for the past two financial years.

“If matters are reported and substantiated, disciplinary action is taken against the educator. According to education legislation, sexual relations between a teacher and any learner at school are totally forbidden even if the learner consents to sex.

“Teachers and school managers have legal and ethical duty to report such cases to the authorities,” Bodibe said.

He said the department offered the Rise Women programme to female pupils where “young women are capacitated with resilient skills that will enable them to know themselves and further understand what they want in life”.

Bodibe said the department was also in partnership with the National Association of Child and Care Workers which takes female pupils to camps to undergo certain programmes.

“Learners are capacitated in differentiating between healthy and unhealthy relationship risks. The programme aims to discourage these learners from entering into sexual relationships with older people/sugar daddies,” said Bodibe.

Sace spokesman Themba Ndhlovu had not responded to requests for comment at the time of going to print.

“If conduct carries on, dismissal will be implemented without appeal