TimesLive reports that 20% of SA’s teachers believe that schools are violent places and suspect their students and colleagues are armed.  

This is according to a survey conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council together with the Department of Education among more than 20,000 teachers at 1,380 schools across the country.  About 17% of teachers reported fights involving weapons at school and almost 13% of teachers believe gangs operate in their school.  SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) spokesman Mugwena Maluleke commented:  "Teachers feel unsafe in our schools.  The young ones in particular - violence is why they resign - not only the low salary."  Education department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said they were ''extremely concerned'' about violence in schools and that it was “even more worrying when the violence is against teachers whose job is to impart information to learners.”

• Read this report by Katharine Child in full at TimesLive
• Read too Onderwysers gestres en ’n derde wil oppak, at Netwerk24 (limit on access)

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page