The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) is calling on the Department of Basic Education to prioritise the safety of teachers and pupils following an attack on the Clayton Road Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal.
The teacher union said on Friday that school principal and teachers were held hostage and assaulted during a robbery at the school on Thursday. It is alleged that the robbers fled with car keys, money, and other teachers’ belongings.
Sadtu also appealed to the department to dispatch experts to the school to provide psycho-social support to staff and pupils.
“We welcome the fact that the officials from the Department of Basic Education visited the school today and provided counselling services. However, the support that the teachers and learners need cannot be a once-off thing, but it should be a continuous counselling programme,” said the union.
“The attacks and robberies on schools are unfortunate [incidents] that disrupt [the teaching and learning programme]. No teacher would be in a position to teach productively after being attacked at gun point.”
Sadtu also called on communities to help ensure the safety of learners and teachers.
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