Teacher hit me with a pipe: girl (12)
Mom opens case against educator over the incident
An Ekurhuleni mother of a 12year-old pupil has laid a criminal charge against a male teacher after he allegedly beat up her daughter at school last week.
The alleged incident happened at Tshipi-Noto Intermediate School in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni, apparently in full view of other pupils and a female teacher, during break time.
According to the Grade 6 pupil, she was allegedly assaulted after two teachers confronted her and accused her of using the school’s photocopy machine without authorisation.
“It was during break time when the teachers came to me and [the male teacher] asked why I went to the staff room to use the photocopy machine without permission.
“I told him that I’m not the one who went to the staff room and I requested him to verify this with other pupils.
“The teacher then started manhandling me, pushing me, pointing a pipe at me before hitting me with it across my body. This left my thigh bruised,” she said.
The pupil’s mother went to file a complaint at the Gauteng department of education’s district in Springs on Friday.
She was, however, told by security guards that all female officials responsible for handling corporal punishment complaints were attending a Women’s Month event and that she should return today.
An 11-year-old pupil who witnessed the incident said: “The male teacher kept pointing a plastic pipe at her, poking her with his finger on the head and then beat her up repeatedly.”
Another pupil said she saw the male teacher pulling the victim by her hair and clothes.
“I was walking towards [the pupil] when I suddenly saw the male teacher beating her up all over the body with a pipe and pushing her against the wall.
“The teachers called another girl and asked if [the pupil] was the one who used the photocopy machine. She denied that [the victim] had made photocopies,” she said.
The pupil’s mother said she reported the incident to the principal, who apologised.
Gauteng department of education spokesman Steve Mabona said: “We strongly condemn any form of assault against our learners. This will not be tolerated in our schooling environment and perpetrators will be dealt with harshly. Circumstances surrounding this case will be investigated. Corporal punishment is outlawed in all schools in our country.”