Following the alleged fatal stabbing of a teacher by a 17-year-old pupil, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has expressed shock and called for schools to be safe spaces for learners and teachers.
“The death of the 24-year-old [teacher] can only be described as an abhorrent travesty.
“It is heart-breaking to loose such a young teacher, who still had so much to offer and so much potential for greatness in such a pointless and tragic manner,” said Motshekga.
Police have apprehended the learner, who was allegedly reprimanded the day before by the teacher, for a minor incident involving skipping the queue for the National School Nutrition Programme.
According to the department, the stabbing incident happened in full view of a class that was in the process of writing an examination in the North West.
The said pupil has been suspended.
Psycho-social services have since been deployed to the school to provide counselling.
This comes on the heels of another incident in Gauteng, where a learner was arrested for pointing a gun at a teacher.
“We cannot and will not tolerate delinquency and lawlessness in our schools. We all need to ensure that our schools are safe spaces for learning and teaching. Parents, communities and law enforcement agencies all need to play their role to ensure that together we raise caring, responsible citizens, and that our schools are protected from evil elements that threaten to destabilise them.
“At no time can it be acceptable to bring weapons or any other prohibited substances such as drugs and alcohol into our schools,” said the Minister.
Motshekga urged parents to be vigilant and ensure their children do not leave home and come to school with weapons.
“The department will continue to work closely with police to curb youth delinquency, violence and other social ills from taking hold of our schools. We all need to work together to ensure that schools are safe spaces for learners and teachers,” said the Minister. - SAnews.gov.za
