3.3% teachers in South Africa have criminal convictions

Africa Melane interviews Basil Manuel of the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa).

Listen below.

In 2023, school screenings indicated that 3.3% of staff members, comprising teachers, coaches, and administrative personnel, had criminal convictions or were awaiting trial for serious offences such as murder, rape, theft, and assault.

Alarmingly, more than half of these individuals failed to disclose their criminal histories.

The South African Council for Educators (Sace) mandates that teachers undergo registration before employment, with police clearance certificates being a requirement since 2019.

Sace says that, between April 2019 and March 2020, 59 applicants possessed criminal records, including for murder, assault, fraud, and theft.

Manuel says the revelation is concerning, but not entirely unexpected.

Some educators with non-sexual convictions may still find employment teaching children, depending on circumstances but, says Manuel, it is essential to implement strict guidelines and vetting procedures to safeguard our vulnerable children.

"It is not surprising that some people have slipped through the net because up until now, there's been no measures in place to prevent that from happening."

- Basil Manuel, National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA

"We have to protect our children because they are extremely vulnerable."

- Basil Manuel, National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA

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