File
Eastern Cape Education MEC, Fundile Gade, says they will be finalising the disciplinary hearing of the Luthuthu Junior Secondary School Principal in Ugie near Tsolo on 8 April.
Gade was addressing the media after he visited the school on Wednesday after the principal, 49-year-old Lubeko Magandele, was charged with child abuse.
He was granted bail of R2500 by the Tsolo Magistrates Court earlier this month, after his arrest for allegedly coercing an 11-year-old learner to strip to his underwear and enter the school's pit-latrine to retrieve his cell phone.
The incident sparked a national outcry, with education activists calling on the government to fulfil its obligations related to meeting the norms and standards for schools, which includes the eradication of pit latrines.
Speaking after the school visit, MEC Gade said; "The Department of Justice must deal with the matter and the Human Rights Commission must get involved. Government must also define correctly and properly what the approach of government should be in cases of this nature."
He said the department will also look at the magnitude of the effect that the incident has had.
"We will look at the extent to which it has affected the kids, what the effect has been on the victim himself, to what extent has it affected the teachers at the school, and the general extent to how it has coralised the environment of the villagers."
Magandele is expected back in court on 18 April.
