SACE takes steps to keep sex offenders out of schools

MEN teachers aged between 35 and 54‚ with an office or laboratory‚ or access to pupils after school‚ are the face of sex pests at South African schools.

This was disclosed at a meeting of parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), the professional council for educators.

The SACE aims to enhance the status of the teaching profession through registration‚ management of professional development and inculcation of a code of ethics.

On Tuesday, the SACE briefed MPs on its 2017-18 strategic and annual performance plans and budget‚ including its online educator registration system.

On-the-spot registration of teachers is being phased out to address effective vetting and verification processes‚ as part of the fitness-to-practice registration process. This will include the submission of a clearance certificate from the South African Police Services and the Department of Justice in relation to the sexual offences register prior to obtaining registration.

Committee chairwoman Nomalungelo Gina said this was an extremely important step in ensuring the safety of pupils.

“This will go a long way to keeping unsavoury educators out of the system,” she said.

The SACE highlighted a flaw in the system – its mandate only relates to teachers.

Its vetting does not include sports coaches‚ extra-curricular trainers‚ private tutors‚ food handlers‚ scholar transport and security guards.

The committee said to address this‚ the SACE was engaging with employers and the Department of Basic Education to take responsibility for other people working in school environments outside its mandate.

The SACE is conducting research to ascertain if sexual offences are on the rise in schools in real terms or rather that more awareness is leading to higher rates of reporting.

Ian Ollis and Nomsa Marchesi‚ both DA MPs‚ also held a meeting with the SACE on Tuesday to discuss concerns around school safety and the vetting of prospective teachers.

In the last financial year alone‚ Ollis said‚ 593 cases had been reported to the SACE.

These included 99 allegations of sexual misconduct or rape and 265 of physical assault or corporal punishment.

He said the SACE admitted that‚ “the vetting of teachers has not been working as they struggle with access to the Child Protection Register and the Sexual Offences Register”. – TimesLIVE