Teacher suspended after locking grade 1 pupil in strongroom overnight

The Mpumalanga education department suspended a teacher on Friday who allegedly locked a grade 1 pupil in a strongroom and forgot about him.

"The female teacher, 30, at Blackhill Primary School in Emalahleni allegedly locked a grade 1 learner in a school's strongroom and forgot him," departmental spokesperson Jasper Zwane said.

"The learner was left in that strongroom the whole night."

The boy's parents started getting worried after he was not home at the usual time on Wednesday and searched in vain before reporting their child missing to the police.

"The following morning parents were told that the teacher had forgotten the learner in the strongroom," said Zwane.

"The department is investigating the incident and is offering counselling to the learner and family."

"The department condemns this and will do everything possible to ensure that justice is served."