TEACHER FIRED FOR TELLING PUPIL (15) ‘I LOVE YOU’

MBABANE – At first he thought it was lust but later realised it was love and now he has lost his job.

This is the story of a teacher of Our Lady of Sorrows High School, who has been dismissed from work by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), after finding him guilty of proposing love to a 15-year-old Form II pupil at the school.
Mcolisi Khumalo’s dismissal, according to the TSC, was with effect from March 1, 2018.

In its ruling, the commission headed by lawyer Simanga Mamba, stated that Khumalo’s conduct did not only leave the pupil traumatised but also destroyed any semblance of trust that the learner may have had on male teachers.
The commission pointed out that it had on numerous occasions expressed its disapproval of teacher/pupil’s relationship by meting out sentences that would serve as a deterrent to other would-be offenders.
“The fact that the relationship did not materialise does not make the matter any lighter. Proposing love to a minor is immoral and an aggravating factor, which the commission frowns upon,” reads part of the ruling.

immorality

It further stated that the message should be clear to all other teachers in the profession, that sexual immorality of any kind would not be tolerated by the commission.
The commission said it was very disturbing that a teacher set to establish a relationship with a 15- year-old.

“The million Dollar question is what would have happened if the child acceded to the teacher’s proposal? This is a very serious act of misconduct,” stated the commission.
The TSC said Khumalo’s action could be equated to a person who sets to kill, having completed all the acts of perpetration but find his victim not available. “Accused (Khumalo) had set his mind to have a love relationship with the pupil, an act known to be against the rules of the profession,’’ added the TSC.

forbidden

In its five-page ruling, the TSC highlighted that it previously expressed that pupil/ teacher relationships were strictly forbidden and that such conduct, if found, would be met with the punishment it deserved.
During Khumalo’s disciplinary hearing, the pupil told the commission that she knew him as her siSwati teacher. She stated that it was during the ICT period when Khumalo asked her friend to call her. The pupil told the commission that she then went to Khumalo.

Khumalo is reported to have asked her where she was from and she told him that she hailed from Ezulwni.
The disgraced teacher is said to have also asked the pupil if she was staying at the boarding hostel and she responded to the affirmative.   He reportedly continued to ask her how old she was and she told him that she was 15 years old.   Khumalo then told her to come to see him during break-time.

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