Pretoria – The Eastern Cape Department of Education has placed a principal and a teacher in Dutywa on precautionary suspension following allegations that they impregnated learners at the school.
Both educators are attached to the Bonkolo Senior Secondary School.
Director of the Khula Community Development, Petros Majola, said they called a meeting with the school after parents asked them to intervene in the situation.
“As we were planning to come, we got a report that those educators including the principal were put on precautionary suspension.
“We understand that in situations of this nature, there would be that tension in the staff room that could also affect teaching and learning, so we spoke to them in a form of a debriefing session so that they can put aside their differences and focus on teaching and learning,” he said in an interview with the SABC.
Majola said such incidents tend to have a negative impact on the school’s performance and also cause division amongst educators.
“Everytime when there’s something that affects a fellow educator, there will be two groups, the one that will side with the alleged suspect and the one that will celebrate... So we tried to bring them together so that they can run the school effectively,” he said.
Speaking to IOL, Vuyiseka Mboxela, the provincial department of education spokesperson, confirmed that the school principal and teacher have been placed on precautionary suspension.
“We can confirm that the two educators have been placed on precautionary suspension over allegations of sexual misconduct and violating school ethics,” she said.
Mboxela said the two educators were handed letters last week and immediately left the school.
“The district has been to the school twice to gather enough information that will assist in the investigation. Again, an acting principal has already been appointed at the school.”
No criminal charges have been laid against the educators.
IOL