A KwaZulu-Natal pupil has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after he assaulted, hijacked and attempted to kill his schoolteacher. 

According to the provincial department of education, the assault occurred on August 12 when a teacher at Chibelihle Combined School in the midlands was attacked by a 24-year-old pupil while she was on her way to work.

"He was standing at the traffic light and waved the teacher down. She was unsuspecting and didn't think anything of it, so she stopped to ask him if everything was OK," provincial education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa told SowetanLIVE's sister publication TimesLIVE.  

"Suddenly he started physically assaulting her and dragged her out of her vehicle." 

Mthethwa said the pupil attempted to drive over the teacher before fleeing the scene in her car.

"A case was opened at the nearest police station. Fortunately the car was later recovered with the aid of Impendle police," he said.

"The teacher sustained injuries and was taken to hospital."

Mthethwa said the pupil had "unresolved" issues with the school principal and had taken his frustration out on the teacher. 

After being subjected to all due court processes, the student was found guilty of assault with grievous bodily harm, car hijacking and attempted murder. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

"We reiterate that there is no place for violence and other criminal acts in schools as they pose a serious barrier to teaching and learning," said KZN education MEC Kwazi Mshengu.