Cape Town - Some schools experienced struggles with racism and discrimination and despite there being sufficient programmes in place, there was a clear need for further dialogue with the aim of prevention.
This was the view of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) Western Cape provincial CEO Riedwaan Ahmed.
Ahmed said the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and educator trade unions embarked on a labour management partnership where issues such as racism and discrimination, among others, can be actively addressed.
This comes after a Table View High School substitute history teacher was reported for allegedly using a racial slur, the k-word, during a history lesson with Grade 12 learners last Wednesday.
“At the outset we note that Naptosa denounces all forms of discrimination, including racism, and calls on all teachers to exercise professional judgement at all times,” Ahmed said.
In 2020, the school also made headlines after a fake social media account on TikTok under the school’s name had used the k-word, prompting a police investigation into the matter.
At the time, the WCED said the TikTok account was linked to a 15-yearold learner, whose personal account was believed to have been hacked.
Speaking more broadly on this, Ahmed said: “It would be appropriate for the school to mitigate these instances and report it to the WCED for investigation and determination. Parents and learners should exercise their constitutional right and address this issue in the School Code of Conduct as provided for in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996.
“Naptosa believes that the needs and welfare of all learners are of paramount importance. We call on all education professionals to uphold the dignity of our chosen profession and the responsibility entrusted to us to ensure the holistic development of each child in our care.”
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department was aware of the incident and that the racist word was allegedly used as a part of a history lesson on Black Consciousness.
Hammond said the incident was being investigated by the department’s Labour Relations directorate and a visit to the school has been scheduled for next week.
Cape Argus