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Teacher Union Acknowledges Challenge in Preventing Freak Shooting of Principal by Grade 6 Learner
The shooting of a school principal at a Germiston primary school by a Grade 6 learner was an unfortunate accident which could barely have been prevented, according to the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa), speaking to IOL News on Monday. Naptosa executive director Basil Manuel expressed the sentiment that while school teachers have strategies for dealing with unruly learners, the situation involving a 13-year-old boy from Primrose Primary School arming himself with a firearm and firing at the principal was unprecedented and unforeseeable. Manuel stressed the difficulty of anticipating such events, stating that teachers couldn’t have predicted the young boy’s actions.
Manuel explained that when dealing with disruptive learners, teachers typically report the behaviour to the principal, who then guides further steps. He highlighted that the school’s response escalates gradually, involving parents and eventually the education department, if necessary, intending to offer support and guidance to the student rather than immediately resort to expulsion.
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Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane disclosed to the media that before the shooting incident, teachers at the school had raised concerns about the boy’s academic performance and had met with his parents. Manuel commented on this meeting, noting that discussions about a student’s academic performance are routine and wouldn’t typically suggest a propensity for violence.
Chiloane stated that the learner, allegedly planning to harm three teachers, would undergo rehabilitation before being allowed to return to school. He emphasised the need for a comprehensive rehabilitative process, citing research indicating a tendency for such behaviour to repeat if not addressed effectively.
Meanwhile, the child will appear in court this week, while his father has been arrested and faces firearm-related charges. The principal continues to recover from the gunshot wound in the hospital.
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