In recent years, South African schools have been plagued by a worrying trend of teachers engaging in assault and corporal punishment. The Eastern Cape province, in particular, has seen six teachers from different schools facing investigations for such offenses. Last year, three teachers were dismissed for similar misconduct, and another resigned earlier this year. The issue came to light again after an incident at Huku Senior Secondary School in Mandileni village, where three grade 12 students accused their principal of beating them.
The recent assault of a 35yearold teacher by a Grade 9 learner in a Western Cape school has highlighted increased violence against teachers in South African schools. ## Statistics
The Whistle Stop School (WSS) programme is a promising initiative in the fight against South Africa’s illiteracy crisis. Developed in 2017, the programme is designed to enhance reading skills among primary school learners in Makhanda, South Africa. The WSS programme was established by GADRA Education, a community organization in Makhanda, in collaboration with St Mary’s Primary School. The programme uses phonics, guided reading, and a wellresourced library to help learners grasp reading.