28 July 2017
MEC LESUFI WELCOMES DECISION TO DISMISS TEACHER FROM ST JOHN’S COLLEGE
The Gauteng MEC for Education, Mr Panyaza Lesufi, has welcomed the decision to fire the educator found guilty of three serious charges including racism at St John’s College in Johannesburg.
The educator has left the school with immediate effect.
The MEC had earlier today, 28 July 2017 visited the school and held a meeting with School Management Team in which he expressed his disappointment and unhappiness following the decision to retain the teacher, even after he was found guilty following a disciplinary process.
Gauteng Education Department’s Head, Mr Edward Mosuwe, the school’s council chairperson, Dr John Patricios, as well as visiting Bishop, Reverend Dr Steve Moreo were also present in the meeting.
The teacher was found guilty of three charges; contravening the South African Council of Educator’s (SACE) Code of Conduct, making racist and derogatory statements and for bringing the school into disrepute.
The MEC said the final written warning was unsatisfactory considering the seriousness of the charges and the guilty finding against the educator.
Subsequent to the meeting with the St John’s College management MEC Lesufi met the representatives of the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA) to discuss the issues facing the private education sector. It was agreed that a summit would be facilitated in September 2017 to deal in detail with all issues affecting private and independent schools in particular. A date for the summit will be announced in due course.
“All Schools, whether they are public or private, cannot have codes of conduct that contravene the Constitution of South Africa. We will deal with racism decisively and not give Racists space to breath because non-racialism is non-negotiable,” says MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
The Department takes allegations of racism very seriously and where it rears its ugly head, we will not hesitate to act swiftly to deal with the matter.
Statement issued by Gauteng Department of Education’s Spokesperson, Steve Mabona, 28 July 2017
