Growing school violence puts focus on teacher safety

The Department of Basic Education has acknowledged a growing problem with violence and intimidation against teachers, though it does not have a dedicated national strategy for educator safety. Teacher unions report verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, and physical violence are becoming more common, with some educators leaving the profession due to hostile conditions.

The DBE says teacher safety is part of its broader school-safety framework, the National School Safety Framework (NSSF) and its collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS). The NSSF aims to identify, prevent, manage, and monitor threats of violence and crime affecting learners, educators, and school communities. Recent police operations in Gauteng recovered dangerous weapons and illegal substances, raising concerns about drug distribution within schools.

In the North West, a viral incident at a school showed a learner verbally abusing a teacher, highlighting the issue of learner indiscipline and educator safety. Sadtu, the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, says educators cannot perform effectively while facing threats, insults, intimidation, or violence. The union's head of Legal Department, Dems Nel, noted a surge in verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, and physical violence against teachers, which the department's response has been deemed insufficient, leading to further increases in such incidents.

Nel expressed that the problem is not limited to specific provinces or schools, but has become more widespread across all provinces. The DBE advises schools to have safety committees, conduct safety-risk assessments, identify threats, and develop school-specific safety plans. Schools facing high levels of violence should receive tailored interventions based on their risk profiles.

The department also emphasizes the need for broader interventions addressing bullying, gangsterism, substance abuse, gender-based violence, and other unsafe behaviors.