Boy (10) allegedly beaten with cable gets legal help

LAWYERS are helping a North West schoolboy sue the education department after he was allegedly hit across the face with an electric cable.

On Friday, Sowetan reported that the 10-year-old Molatedi boy was allegedly hit in the face with the cable by a female teacher as punishment for fighting.

Advocate Serame Thebyane said: "People do not have money to go to lawyers, and we decided to help them because such a thing is not supposed to happen."

The boy's sister said they were happy to get help.

North West education spokesman Gershwin Chuenyane failed to respond to the initial story and promised to respond yesterday, but did not.

According to the Schools Act corporal punishment is illegal, but recent research showed that up to 70% of primary school and 50% of high school pupils were still subjected to it.

If the boys were fighting, it would be classified as a level 2 incident in terms of the departmental rules. Other level 2 incidents include serious disruption of class; racist and sexist remarks; falsifying of a parent's signature; gambling, smoking or being in possession of cigarettes; possession of pornographic material; and vandalism.

The guidelines for dealing with repeat level 2 offenders include recording the event in an incident book.

Then a disciplinary hearing involving the parents, a school support-based team and grade head would make a joint decision on appropriate support for the pupil.

The support-based team could organise a mentoring programme to help the pupil or ask the district for support. - monamat@sowetan.co.za