Question NW2502 to the Minister of Basic Education
11 September 2017 - NW2502
Boshoff, Ms SH to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)Whether provincial departments of education take any measures to do background checks before employing an educator; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the measures taken; (2) whether the checks are also carried out on employees appointed by school governing bodies; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1) All Educators must be registered with the South African Council of Educators (SACE). The SACE is required by law to conduct background checks on all educators as part of the registration process. This includes disclosure and verification of any, previous and pending proceedings, employer disciplinary action or conviction for a criminal offence.
However, in addition, Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), as employers are required to conduct further background checks in line with the regulations on employer suitability checks of employment in the public service. For educators, these are criminal, qualification and identity verification checks.
(2) Currently, the PEDs do not have jurisdiction over the appointments done by School Governing Bodies (SGBs) in SGB posts to the extent of conducting personnel suitability checks in line with the public service regulatory framework or beyond what is the SACE regulations. However, SGBs are encouraged to conduct such checks on educators appointed at schools.