Equal Education says informative classes can help pupils identify abuse faster

Equal Education said that prevention work needs to be prioritised in relation to child abuse cases. 

Between April 2024 and March 2025, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) handled 606 cases of unprofessional conduct, including 283 incidents of assault.

This resulted in 36 teachers being deregistered because they were found guilty of committing sexual violence offences against pupils.

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Equal Education argues that investing in preventive lessons will help children in more ways than one. 

Attorney at Equal Education Law and child protection expert, Daniel Al Naddaf, said informative classes and sessions could help learners identify abuse faster. 

"One of the most important work being done is unfortunately the most underfunded, which is prevention work. The trauma that's being inflicted on those children can't be undone, and also just from a resource perspective, it's incredibly difficult and expensive to respond to incidents of sexual violence in a country where it happens so often."