Teachers support the statement by Minister of Education Naledi Pandor that school safety needs to be addressed immediately, the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) said on Monday.
”Naptosa and its members commit themselves to supporting any initiative from the Department of Education to address the problem of safety in schools,” Naptosa president Dave Malt said.
He said principals, staff and pupils need to act swiftly and decisively when criminal acts of abuse or violence threaten the safety of both learners and teachers.
”The problem is related to the lack of respect for others at a fundamental level and it is the restoring of discipline that … must be regarded as a much longer-term project.”
Malt said the rights of a disruptive pupil could not override the rights of the rest of a class.
”There needs to be a clear process for dealing with the disruptive learner and schools need to be informed as soon as possible.”
He said removing such a pupil from a situation where he/she had a negative impact on the rest of the class would be essential. Teachers need to be supported to do this in a fair and transparent manner. — Sapa