The Provincial Department of Education in Limpopo confirmed that they will take disciplinary action against the female teacher of Mudikhomu Primary School at Ha-Mulima who allegedly beat a grade five learner with a chalk board ruler last Friday.

According to the student´s mother, Ms Rose Mashau, the problem between her son, who suffers from epilepsy, and the teacher dates back to when the teacher was the class teacher of her son when he was in grade three. She said that the teacher would always complain that her son, Ndivho Tshilukwa (12) was naughty and always behaved strangely in the classroom, despite his good performance in his school work.

Mashau said that prompted her to take her son to the occupational therapists at Elim and Mankweng hospitals and the outcome from both the health institutions´ findings was contrary to the claims of the young student´s teacher.

Mashau claimed that her son´s ordeal at the school started last year when he came home from the school with a swollen face after he was allegedly beaten by one of the teachers. She added that towards the end of the previous academic year, it was alleged that a female teacher had assaulted her son.

"This time around, when I arrived at Elim hospital, the doctor who treated my son gave me a letter and requested me to give it to the school principal, for him to stop his teachers from assaulting my son," she said.

The content of the letter, which is in possession of Mirror, reads: This letter serves to confirm that the client (Ndivho Tshilukwa) is known with epilepsy and behavioural disorder, mixed with emotional liability on monthly treatment at Elim hospital. I would like to recommend that the child be handled with no harsh treatment or punishment to avoid disturbing the child emotionally to reduce his epileptic seizures and emotional instability.

Mashau claimed that, in the past, the school management had sent members of the school governing body to ask for forgiveness. When the female teacher allegedly assaulted her son again last Friday, Mashau hired a vehicle to transport her son to receive treatment at Elim Hospital. "My trust in these teachers has been eroded. I thought teachers are more than educators, committed to protecting learners, including my son and I was wrong. Enough is enough, this time around I want to see the Department take action against this abusive teacher," she said.

Mashau said that when she saw the deputy school principal, Mr Wilson Baloyi, and his colleague, Mr Abednigo Thangwana with her son, whose head was badly swollen, "the two could not properly explain what happened to my son. Together with members of the SGB, they are still trying to convince me to put this under the carpet, but I refuse," she said.

The principal, Mr A Bakani, confirmed to Mirror that the student was allegedly beaten by the female teacher at the school. He also confirmed having received a letter from the health practitioners prohibiting them from treating the student with harsh penalties. "When I received the letter, I made copies and distributed it to all the teachers at the school. I was shocked by this incident because all educators are aware about the condition of this learner. I have already reported this matter to my senior at the Tshitale circuit offices," he said.

When contacted for comment about the matter, the provincial spokesman of the Department of Education in Limpopo, Mr Ndo Mangala, described the incident as regrettable. "Whether the child is healthy or not, the truth is that corporal punishment is forbidden. Since the principal has already reported the matter to the circuit manager, the teacher will definitely be charged with misconduct," he said.