By Charmaine Ndlela
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) in North West has called for urgent action to address learner indiscipline and improve educator safety following an incident in which a learner allegedly insulted and verbally abused a teacher at Batlapaneng Secondary School in Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati district.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, has renewed concerns about what the union described as escalating learner indiscipline, including verbal abuse, threats, intimidation and physical attacks against educators.
SADTU North West said it was deeply concerned by the incident and warned that teachers could not be expected to work effectively in environments where their safety and dignity were compromised.
“An educator cannot be expected to perform their professional responsibilities effectively while being subjected to threats, insults, intimidation or violence,” the union said.
It said educator safety was a fundamental condition for quality teaching and learning and called for decisive action against serious learner misconduct.
“Violence against educators must never be normalised or treated as merely a disciplinary matter,” SADTU said, adding that law enforcement should be involved where conduct amounted to a criminal offence.
The union called on the North West Department of Education and the provincial education MEC to strengthen school safety and learner-discipline measures, including the implementation of clear consequences for serious misconduct.
It also called for immediate intervention when educators are threatened, intimidated or physically attacked, as well as greater support for principals and School Governing Bodies dealing with serious disciplinary cases.
SADTU said schools, parents, the department, the South African Police Service and other stakeholders needed to work more closely to address safety and discipline challenges.
It further called for appropriate psychosocial and professional support for educators who experience violence or trauma in the workplace.
The union wants the department to regularly monitor schools where serious disciplinary and safety problems have been identified.
It also raised concerns about parental responsibility, saying parents and guardians should support reasonable disciplinary measures and should not threaten or intimidate educators.
SADTU called for a comprehensive review of measures to prevent weapons, drugs and other dangerous substances from entering school premises.
The union stressed, however, that stronger discipline should not come at the expense of learners’ rights.
“SADTU does not advocate for the violation of learners’ rights. Learners have rights, but rights come with responsibilities,” it said.
“The protection of learners cannot be interpreted in a manner that leaves educators exposed to abuse, intimidation or violence.”
The union said a balanced approach was needed to protect learners, educators, principals and support staff.
SADTU also linked learner indiscipline to broader challenges in the education system, including overcrowding, social problems, substance abuse, inadequate psychosocial services and mounting pressure on educators.
It said these challenges could not be addressed by teachers alone and required a broader societal response.
Parents, it said, had an important role in reinforcing respect, responsibility and acceptable behaviour among learners.
At the same time, SADTU said educators must uphold professional standards and exercise their authority responsibly.
The union said it remained committed to protecting educators while advocating for a public education system that was safe, disciplined and conducive to teaching and learning.
“Teaching cannot be an attractive and respected profession when educators are expected to work in unsafe environments,” SADTU said.
“An attack on an educator is not only an attack on an individual, it is an attack on the teaching profession and the right of every learner to quality education.”
SADTU North West called on the provincial Department of Education to move beyond statements of concern and implement concrete measures to address learner indiscipline and school safety.
“The time has come to move beyond statements of concern towards concrete interventions that restore discipline, protect educators and reclaim schools as safe spaces for teaching and learning,” the union said.
INSIDE EDUCATION
