Sex for marks scandal - two pupils fell pregnant by teachers'

TEACHERS at a Gauteng high school demanded sex from pupils in exchange for good marks.

Two pupils who eventually gave in to pressure to sleep with the teachers allegedly fell pregnant.

These allegations are contained in five affidavits, one by a pupil and four others by parents and staff members at Brakpan High School in Ekurhuleni.

Sowetan has seen a sworn affidavit made by one of the affected pupils before Tsakane police last year in which she detailed abuse at the hands of the sex pest teacher.

"He kissed me on the cheek I told him to stop but he asked me to kiss him back ... I didn't.

"He asked me when will I satisfy his needs."

A parent of a pupil at the school wrote a letter to the Gauteng department of education and the school governing body (SGB) about the allegations.

The SGB at the school was disbanded last year following claims of maladministration. Some of the documents date back to 2011.

In 2012, the SGB sent a fax to the education head of department Boy Ngobeni requesting that he reopen the sexual abuse investigation.

A similar letter was written by a former SGB member last year addressed to the office of the former MEC for education Barbara Creecy.

According to the former member, other girl pupils came forward and told her that the principal was also having affairs with pupils and it had been going on for years.

Another SGB member revealed in an affidavit that in 2011 the learners representative council approached him with concerns of sexual activity taking place between teachers and pupils in exchange for marks.

"I would not lie and say it's the first time I'm hearing about that. We always said that it's not true. I'm surprised it's coming up again," said principal Lucky Nkopane.

"It is so tiring to hear the same allegations, I'm not going to respond."

In another affidavit, a former employee of the school said she learned of the sexual harassment claims back in 2008.

She said she was approached by a pupil who had admitted that she was indeed having an affair with a teacher.

Sowetan has also seen an anonymous letter written in 2011 addressed to Werkmans Attorneys which the department appointed to investigate the claims.

The letter read that pupils were being sexually harassed by teachers in exchange for marks or a pass and were afraid to speak out because the principal was involved.

Spokeswoman for the department of education Phumla Sekhonyane said the allegations were raised with the department two years ago.

She said a mother of a pupil reported that her daughter had been impregnated by a teacher. The SGB suspended the teacher.

Another teacher who was accused of impregnating a pupil resigned before he could go through a disciplinary process, she said.

Sekhonyane said no witnesses have come forward to assist with the investigation of the claims made against the principal.

macupeb@sowetan.co.za

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