Education
(1)(a) What remedial action was taken to support the learner, (b) what trauma counselling was provided to the victim, (c)(i) what other victim or trauma support was provided to the victim and (ii) what are the detailed steps and timelines of the support provided
(2) whether the SAPS was called to the school to arrest the teacher; if not, (a) why not and (b) who made the decision not to call them; if so, who at the school or which WCED official or officials made the call to the SAPS;
(3) whether medical treatment was provided to the learner; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) who paid for the medical treatment of the learner;
(4) whether an interdict was sought by her Department against the teacher; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) whether her Department decided not to proceed with criminal assault charges against the teacher; if so, (a) who made the decision and (b) why was the decision made;
(6) how many assault charges has her Department laid against teachers in the period 2016 to 2021?
14. My department has informed me of the following:
(1) (a)-(c) Counselling was offered to the learner on the day and afterwards but the offer was rejected. The mother informed the school that she would see her own psychologist.
The learner had been suspended, and the school sent schoolwork home which included assessments. The parent never sent any work back to the school for marking or checking. The school continued to send schoolwork until the parent withdrew the learner on 29 February 2019.
Psychological support was offered to all learners and teachers at the school following the incident.
(2) The learner’s mother laid charges against the teacher with SAPS. SAPS was present at the school on 6 February 2019.
(3) (a) No. The learner did not require medical treatment.
(b) Please see above.
(4) No – see reply to question 7 (3) of 3 September 2021.
(5) No charges were laid by the department. The parent had laid charges against the teacher by 6 February 2019.
(6) The following data on disciplinary charges includes only teachers employed by the WCED. We cannot lay disciplinary charges against teachers not in our employ, as was the case in this instance.
2016/2017: 192
2017/2018: 230
2018/2019: 259
2019/2020: 270
2020/2021: 68
