A teacher is facing criminal charges after he was allegedly found to be teaching at Limpopo schools with fake qualifications.
South African Council for Educators (Sace) spokesman Themba Ndhlovu said the majority of cases involving fake teaching qualifications involved foreign nationals.
Oluwatosi Olubenga Daramola, 48, is expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Thursday after he allegedly taught a few subjects, including mathematics, with fraudulent certificates.
Daramola taught at Motsheudi Secondary School in GaSekgopo and other schools before his arrest.
Polokwane police spokesman Captain Ntobeng Phala yesterday confirmed that Daramola was arrested for fraud after a case was opened against him by an official at the provincial department of education.
Daramola said there was a misunderstanding and he was not charged with using fraudulent documents. He said confusion happened when he applied for a job at another Limpopo school and the department picked up he had changed names.
He said an official who, according to him, displayed a dislike for foreigners then notified the police without giving him an opportunity to explain the different names.
Daramola also claimed to be currently employed by a private school in Delmas, Mpumalanga, but declined to name the institution.
According to the Sace 2014/2015 report, it received 586 complaints with a slight increase of submission of fraudulent qualifications, sexual abuse and other misconduct.
Ndhlovu said, if found guilty, Daramola would be permanently barred from teaching. "The council takes the clear view that we cannot accept imposter teachers."
Ndhlovu said the council had taken the decision to vet and verify the qualifications of teachers who register with it. He warned that bogus teachers negatively impacted on pupils, and the council can charge such teachers with dishonesty and bringing the profession into disrepute.
Department spokesman Dr Naledzani Rasila could not comment on the case but said it verified qualifications through relevant bodies.
Rasila said the department hired foreign teachers for subjects such as mathematics and science because of a general shortage in the country.
He said teachers found with fraudulent documents in internal investigations would be fired even before the courts pronounce a verdict.
mahopoz@sowetan.co.za
Teacher faces charges - man arrested for fraud denies fake certificates
A teacher is facing criminal charges after he was allegedly found to be teaching at Limpopo schools with fake qualifications.
South African Council for Educators (Sace) spokesman Themba Ndhlovu said the majority of cases involving fake teaching qualifications involved foreign nationals.
Oluwatosi Olubenga Daramola, 48, is expected to appear in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Thursday after he allegedly taught a few subjects, including mathematics, with fraudulent certificates.
Daramola taught at Motsheudi Secondary School in GaSekgopo and other schools before his arrest.
Polokwane police spokesman Captain Ntobeng Phala yesterday confirmed that Daramola was arrested for fraud after a case was opened against him by an official at the provincial department of education.
Daramola said there was a misunderstanding and he was not charged with using fraudulent documents. He said confusion happened when he applied for a job at another Limpopo school and the department picked up he had changed names.
He said an official who, according to him, displayed a dislike for foreigners then notified the police without giving him an opportunity to explain the different names.
Daramola also claimed to be currently employed by a private school in Delmas, Mpumalanga, but declined to name the institution.
According to the Sace 2014/2015 report, it received 586 complaints with a slight increase of submission of fraudulent qualifications, sexual abuse and other misconduct.
Ndhlovu said, if found guilty, Daramola would be permanently barred from teaching. "The council takes the clear view that we cannot accept imposter teachers."
Ndhlovu said the council had taken the decision to vet and verify the qualifications of teachers who register with it. He warned that bogus teachers negatively impacted on pupils, and the council can charge such teachers with dishonesty and bringing the profession into disrepute.
Department spokesman Dr Naledzani Rasila could not comment on the case but said it verified qualifications through relevant bodies.
Rasila said the department hired foreign teachers for subjects such as mathematics and science because of a general shortage in the country.
He said teachers found with fraudulent documents in internal investigations would be fired even before the courts pronounce a verdict.
mahopoz@sowetan.co.za
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