TEACHER'S VIOLENT LAPSE

 

Parents of Standard 3 pupils at Seboko Primary School in Gamalete, Ramotswa, are accusing a class teacher of repeatedly assaulting and abusing their children.

This uproar comes at a time when the Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Nono Mokoka Kgafela, has publicly maintained that corporal punishment should be abolished.

However, parents say what is happening at Seboko directly contradicts that position.

They allege that what is happening is beyond corporal punishment, which has in the past been used as a disciplinary measure.

At the centre of the storm is teacher Lenah Moikabi, who several parents accuse of physically assaulting young learners, leaving some with visible injuries and others emotionally traumatised.

On Monday afternoon, angry parents gathered at the school demanding answers, saying they had reached a breaking point after what they described as repeated incidents of abuse.

One parent narrated how their child was allegedly slapped hard across the face for writing an incorrect answer, and she immediately suffered a nosebleed.

The child did not tell her parent what had happened, but the following morning, as the parent prepared her for school, the bleeding resumed, heavier than the day before.

It was only then, under questioning, that the child revealed she had been beaten by her teacher for getting an answer wrong.

Another parent said their child had been persistently begging to be removed from the school.

At first, they dismissed it as childish complaints, but matters escalated when the child revealed that one pupil had been slapped so severely that they urinated on themselves in class.

Concerned, the parent instructed the child to report if she was ever slapped, and before long, the child returned from school to inform the parent that the worst had happened during the day.

The parent confronted the teacher directly, explaining that the child suffers from headaches and that being struck on the head could worsen the condition.

According to the parents, the matter was escalated to the Head of Department, and the teacher was summoned.

They claim Moikabi admitted to slapping the learners and apologised. However, parents now allege that despite the apology, the assaults have continued.

“At the time, she apologised, but it has not stopped, more children are continuing to suffer at her hands,” she said.

They say their children are living in fear, too scared to speak openly because they are allegedly warned not to report incidents or risk consequences. Parents say the children have revealed that they will be beaten together with their parents if they dare speak out. In yet another troubling account, a parent said their child came home with a swollen face that appeared to have been pricked with a sharp object. When questioned, the child claimed to have

hit a tree while playing.

It was only after another parent called to ask whether the child had disclosed what happened in class that the truth surfaced.

The second parent reportedly shared that her daughter had witnessed the child being slapped and struck with a book, and when confronted again, the injured child allegedly remained in denial, saying they had been warned not to tell anyone or they would suffer consequences.

Parents allege that beyond slapping, the teacher subjects learners to harsh physical punishments, including forcing them to lift classroom chairs for extended periods.

They claim the children are made to hold the chairs up until they cry in pain, complaining of aching arms and shoulders.

Pupils are at times allegedly instructed to lie face down on the cold classroom floor, with their foreheads pressed against the ground for prolonged periods.

Parents argue that such treatment has left some children unwell, claiming they later developed flu-like symptoms after being made to lie on the cold floor. The furious parents convened a meeting with the school head, Boraro Johnny, on Monday, but say they left feeling dismissed and unheard.

According to them, they demanded that the teacher be removed from the class and kept away from their children pending investigations.

They claim the school head told them it was impossible to change the teacher and suggested that if they were unhappy, they could remove their children from the school instead.

The parents say the response is insensitive and unacceptable, as it shifts the burden onto families instead of addressing the alleged misconduct.

They accuse the school leadership of shielding the teacher and failing to prioritise the safety and well-being of learners.

“It is like the school is waiting for the unthinkable to happen before they act,” one frustrated parent said.

The parents insist they are not fighting the school but are demanding a safe learning environment. They argue that young children should not associate school with fear, humiliation, and physical pain.

Moikabi did not address parents during the heated meeting, and when contacted by phone on Tuesday for comment, demanded to be approached in person.

Pressed further, she said she would revert to this publication at a later stage, something she had not done by press time. Parents warn that they will escalate the matter to the Ministry if the school head does not act.