SowetanLive reports that all teachers registering from the first time with the SA Council of Educators (Sace) will have to produce police clearance certificates.  This policy was implemented from the first of this month.  

Sace’s Themba Ndhlovu said all the new teachers and those updating their details would need to produce a certificate.  "This was sparked, among other things, by the high number of cases of sex pest teachers that have been reported to the council over the years.  Ndhlovu said the certificate should not be older than six months at the time of submission, irrespective of the country of origin.  He indicated:  "In the past, teachers registering with Sace only had to indicate if they had a criminal record or not but there was no proof required.  At the moment the council is still in discussion on what to do in terms of those already in the system.  Teacher unions have accepted the move.  Mugwena Maluleke of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) said they fully support the decision as they wanted to professionalise the teaching profession.  He stated:  "We have teachers who are preying on our children and we don't need them in this profession".  Basil Manuel of the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said they cautiously welcomed the policy and added:  "We will support it and see how it will unfold."

• Read Yoliswa Sobuwa’s original report in this regard in full at SowetanLive

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