BOSA writes to DBE's Gwarube, wants all staff employed at schools to be screened
This, the party said, was to ensure that staff members employed at South African schools were not listed on the national register for sexual offenders.
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JOHANNESBURG - Build One South Africa (BOSA) has written to Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube calling for the nationwide screening of all practitioners in schools.
This, the party said, was to ensure that staff members employed at South African schools were not listed on the national register for sexual offenders.
The party has been vocal in its calls for the register to be made public in efforts to ensure that children are safe at schools.
However, the Sexual Offences and Related Crimes Act prohibits this and imposes a sanction through imprisonment of up to three years or a fine on persons found to have disclosed the contents of, among others, the list.
The party's renewed calls come amid growing anger about the rape of a seven-year-old pupil at school in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
It said that teachers were not screened on a regular basis to ensure that they were not on the register, presenting a loophole in the system as spokesperson, Roger Solomons, explained.
"Our schools should be a safe and nurturing space for all children, not a place of vulnerability and unspeakable abuse, such as the recent case of Cwecwe and many, many, many more. As BOSA, we will continue championing and calling for this register to be made public. We believe that it acts as a deterrent. We need to name and shame these monsters that are roaming our streets and entering our schools."