New data released by Statistics South Africa during Child Protection Week has revealed a troubling trend: schoolchildren are identifying teachers more frequently than fellow learners as perpetrators of violence in educational settings. The findings indicate that more than 1.1 million South African learners aged five and older reported experiencing violence at school in 2024.
Yolisa Piliso, a researcher with Equal Education, expressed grave concern over the figures, noting that patterns of reported violence against learners have shown a consistent upward trajectory in recent years. “Our position as Equal Education has certainly been raising a very alarming position in terms of the safety of learners, and we are gravely concerned with the reports that have been indicated,” Piliso stated.
A particularly troubling aspect of the report is the identification of teachers as frequent perpetrators. This finding raises urgent questions given that corporal punishment was officially abolished in South Africa in 1996 under Section 10 of the South African Schools Act. Piliso highlighted a significant gap between legislative intent and on-the-ground reality. “What we’re seeing in between the promulgation of law and what you see in practice, I think there’s a big disjuncture,” Piliso explained.
The researcher emphasized that addressing school violence requires a broader societal shift in how children are perceived. “Society needs to get to a point where we also understand and we see children as autonomous right holders. Because if children can be afforded dignity and understanding of their rights as well equal to adults, I doubt if we’ll continue to see much violence that is persisting in schools and in our communities.”
While discipline is often cited as a justification for physical punishment, Piliso cautioned against oversimplifying the issue. Not all reported incidents involve disciplinary contexts; some involve sexual assault or misconduct by educators. “It cannot be then used discipline as a reference to use of violence in our schools,” Piliso said, noting that violence in schools often mirrors broader societal challenges.
The data also identified learners aged five to eight years as among the most vulnerable to physical violence at school. Piliso referenced a recent World Health Organization report indicating that over 1.2 million learners globally report experiencing violence and corporal punishment, underscoring the urgency for stronger enforcement of existing protections.
Key recommendations from Equal Education include:
- Strengthening the implementation and enforcement of laws, including the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, which expands the definition of corporal punishment to include verbal abuse.
- Establishing clear, accessible reporting mechanisms for learners and parents to report misconduct.
- Integrating mandatory psychosocial support measures within schools to support affected learners and help prevent future incidents.
- Empowering school communities, particularly School Governing Bodies, to develop and enforce anti-violence policies.
- Cultivating a school culture centered on care, respect, and dignity, as envisioned in Department of Basic Education policy.
Piliso stressed that sustainable solutions must be rooted within school communities themselves. “The first point of dealing with violence is not going to come mainly from the provincial education department or the Department of Basic Education itself, but it’s the culture within the school communities,” Piliso said. “Education needs to get to a point where learning and teaching is happening with care.”
With frustration reported among both educators and learners, the spokesperson called for a renewed commitment to a culture of respect. “There is no regard to care and promotion of the culture of respect and caring for each other. So that we don’t see the high numbers of violence that we’re seeing in our schools.”
As South Africa reflects on these findings during Child Protection Week, the data serves as a stark call to action for policymakers, educators, and communities to bridge the gap between protective legislation and the lived safety of the nation’s learners.
