Pretoria - Three educators at Filadelfia Secondary Secondary have been dismissed by the Gauteng Department of Education after being found guilty of sexual misconduct against learners.
Allegations of misconduct at the school surfaced earlier this year. Staff members, including teachers, were accused of raping disabled learners while the rest of the school was attending morning assembly.
During disciplinary hearings, the department received information that nine staff members at the school, including four educators and five general staff were involved in the incidents.
Department spokesperson Charles Phahlane said three educators were dismissed and a fourth resigned before the case against him could be concluded. Investigations into the other cases is still underway.
The three educators have until the end of this week to appeal to Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy against their conviction and dismissal.
Phahlane said all these cases had been referred to the South African Council of Educators for further action.
He added that the department had sent a strong message that there is no place for any inappropriate behavior towards learners in provincial schools. "The department is committed to ensuring that every learner does well at school and leaves our institutions with the values, knowledge, skills and qualifications that will give them the best chance of success in adult life."
