Teachers who have been found guilty of rape or who are caught in sexual relationships with learners will lose their teaching jobs indefinitely.
This was announced by minister of basic education Angie Motshekga in a government gazette where she outlined terms and conditions of employment of educators.
Motshekga said educators who have been found guilty of seriously assaulting – with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm – learners or employees or in possession of illegal substances, will be banned from teaching.
Also, any person found guilty of sexual offences against children and mentally disabled people and his/her name appears on the National Child Protection Register and the National Register for Sex Offenders, will be prevented from employment until removed from the registers held by the department of social development and the justice department.
Motshekga said teachers who, in the course of duty, endangers the lives of himself or herself by disregarding a set of safety rules or those who accepts any compensation in cash from a member of the public or another employee, carries or keeps firearm on state premises without written authorisation of the employer, commits an act of dishonesty and victimises an employee for being in association with a trade union, can only be re-employed as a teacher after five years.
Meanwhile, an educator who unfairly discriminates against other persons on the basis of race, gender, disability, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic and social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age among other things, can only be re-employed by the department after four years.
“Before any person can be appointed or re-appointed to work with children, the prospective employer or delegated official shall ensure that the prospective employee meets the prescribed minimum requirements as stipulated in the Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM). They will also have to be vetted against the National Child Protection Register and be in a possession of a clearance certificate from the registrar,” Motshekga said.
