Pupil arrested after ‘humiliating’ teacher for confiscating cellphone

A grade 12 teacher in Limpopo is traumatised after an 18-year-old pupil assaulted her for confiscating his cellphone‚ according to education authorities.

“The Limpopo department of education has learnt with shock and disappointment the humiliation suffered by an educator‚” said spokesperson Sam Makondo.

The teacher was assaulted and water was poured on her face and body.

Makondo said an investigation into the circumstances around the incident was currently underway‚ adding that possessing a cellphone in class was against school rules.

The boy allegedly fled the scene after other teachers intervened to help their colleague.

Police were called and the boy was later arrested.

“The incident has left the educator traumatised‚” said Makondo. “Counselling has been arranged for her and all affected by the incident.”

Provincial education MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe condemned the incident.

“This kind of ill-discipline and criminality cannot be tolerated. Nobody in their right frame of mind does that to another human being‚ let alone an educator who is there to guide learners on the right path to academic prosperity and a brighter future‚” he said.

Kgetjepe added that schools needed to be places where discipline reigned supreme and teachers were given the utmost respect.

“We cannot tolerate ill-disciplined learners in our schools who have no regard for the dignity of educators who are there to nurture them into responsible citizens‚” he said.

The boy is expected to appear in the Bolobedu Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. On his return to school he will face a disciplinary processes.

SA has been inundated with recent incidents of school pupils using violence towards their teachers‚ prompting calls for the government to do more to protect them. For example‚ a pupil allegedly stabbed and killed a teacher at a school near Zeerust in the North West‚ while a 15-year-old pupil pointed a gun at his teacher in Eldorado Park.

TimesLIVE reported previously that basic education minister Angie Motshekga was “appalled” by the violence in schools and had called an urgent meeting with police to discuss the issue.