Sex-for-passes cases soaring

TEACHER PREDATORS: SEXUAL ABUSE UP FIVE-FOLD

South African Council of Educators rings alarm bells over preying on girl pupils.

An increasing number of teachers in South African schools are allegedly promoting female pupils to the next grade in exchange for sex. According to the South African Council of Educators, the number of sexually-related offences committed by teachers, principals and deputy principals has increased drastically.

“From April 2010 to March 2011, there were 126 cases of sexual harassment reported.

“One financial year later, from 2012 to 2013, a total of 556 cases were reported.

“In the same year, 27 teachers were struck off the roll while 180 cases were still in courts pending verdicts and the remaining cases were still being investigated,” the council’s national spokesperson Themba Ndlovu said yesterday.

Through its spokesperson, the Limpopo provincial department of education said yesterday that between 2015 and 2016 one teacher had been fired and six others had been suspended for sexually molesting female pupils.

A teacher at Phusela High School in Lenyenye, outside Tzaneen, was dismissed after investigations revealed he allegedly fondled the genitals of a 17-year-old pupil outside the school premises after lessons.

The same teacher was also found to have had sexual relationships with six other pupils in Grade 11.

The teacher allegedly promised all these pupils that they would get a pass at the end of the year in exchange for sexual favours.

School principal Bernard Letsoalo said: “A wave of peace and harmony is reigning at the school since that teacher left.

“The culture of learning and teaching is back.”

One female pupil, who had dropped out of school after she was not promoted to the next grade, told The Citizen that one of the dismissed teachers had repeatedly had unprotected sex with her.

Then her boyfriend found out and started calling her names, she said.

“My boyfriend said he knew I was sleeping with the teacher and he left me,” she added.