Question NW2227 to the Minister of Basic Education
31 August 2018 - NW2227
Brauteseth, Mr TJ to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)Whether (a) her department and/or (b) the KwaZulu-Natal department of education were involved in the arrangements to perform circumcisions on boy learners at the Celimfundo Primary School in Khetani in Winterton in June 2018; if not, who made the arrangements for the circumcisions to be performed; if so, (2) whether permission was obtained to perform the circumcision of each learner from both parents and/or guardians of each learner before the operation was performed; if not, in each case, on what basis were the circumcisions performed without obtaining permission; if so, were both parents and/or guardians requested to be present before, during and/or after the operations were performed; (3) (a) where was each operation performed, (b) by whom was each operation performed, (c) what criteria were used to determine which learners should be circumcised and (d) what are the details of any counselling given to each learner before and after the operations; (4) whether any follow-up visitations were conducted to any of the learners after the operations were performed; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details of the follow-up visitations, (b) what number of follow-up visitations were conducted, (c) which learners were visited and (d) who conducted the follow-up visits; (5) whether any of the specified learners required further medical treatment after the operations were performed; if so, what are the relevant details? NW2401E
Reply:
(1) (a) The Minister of Basic Education was not aware of the medical male circumcision (MMC) that took place in the school. In the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP), the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the Department of Health (DOH) had agreed that only education on MMC should be provided to learners at school. In this regard, MMC is not performed at schools but learners are referred for services. The Honourable Member is requested to submit the question to the province.
(2)(3) (4) and (5) The Provincial and District Managers of the Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal Province have reported that they are not aware that MCC services were provided to boy learners at the Celimfundo Primary School in Khetani in Winterton in June 2018. The Department of Health is responsible for the surgical processes including follow-up care of all patients. The Honourable Member is requested to submit the question to the provincial health department.