The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development spokesperson Terrence Manase said they were unable to pin a date on the release of the NRSO, but they were prioritising the register’s release. TEACHER unions and political leaders have demanded the immediate dismissal of teachers listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) or the National Child Protection Register (NCPR) as shocking statistics reveal that 176 teachers have been found guilty of sexual misconduct. With over 80% of teachers still unvetted, experts call the current system ‘too slow’ and ‘failing our children The call was made after the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) revealed to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education that between 2021/22 and 2025/26, 176 teachers had been found guilty of sexual misconduct.
Thirona Moodley, spokesperson for Naptosa KZN, said the vetting of teachers was not adequate to curb sexual crimes against pupils, unless it was done on a regular basis. “Teachers who have been found guilty of sexual misconduct through a formal disciplinary enquiry following the prescripts of labour laws, must be dismissed. Teachers are in loco parentis and must conduct themselves in a manner which is professional and always putting the interests of the child first.
“The vetting of teachers is of no use unless it happens regularly. Currently the system is designed for once off vetting only. A further failure in the system is the Department of Education (DoE) taking a long time to investigate and charge teachers.
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“These teachers remain in the school for months before being held accountable. The current systems are failing our children,” Moodley said. Dr Erna De Lange, chief operating officer of the KZN Governing Body Foundation, said it was time to “clean up” the teaching profession.
“We cannot expose children to people who cannot be trusted. If teachers have been found guilty of sexual misconduct, their employment must be terminated and they should never be allowed in the profession again. “There is an ethical standard that teachers must adhere to, and if they do not meet the criteria, they should not be in classrooms.
It is time to clean up the profession. “School Governing Body (SGB) employees are, in most cases, vetted and must produce police clearance. The same should be the rule for government employees,” she added.
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