Teacher fined for beating up a truant Form 3 pupil

A TEACHER at a private school in Victoria Falls has been fined $150 for beating up a truant Form Three pupil for not doing his school work.

Kudakwashe Bere (34) of Chinotimba suburb, teaches Computer Science and Computers at Herentals Group of Colleges.

He was arrested after beating up the pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, when he noticed that he had not written school notes.

The boy reported the matter to the police.

Bere was convicted on his own plea of guilty to assault when he appeared before Victoria Falls magistrate Ms Rangarirai Gakanje during the week.

Prosecuting, Mr Listen Nare said Bere assaulted the pupil on June 15 at the school during a lesson.

"On June 15 and at 12 noon, the accused asked the complainant why he had not written Computers notes which were not up to date.

"The complainant told the teacher that he had not been coming to school for a week because he had school fees arrears," said the prosecutor.

The boy's response did not go down well with the teacher who took a switch and beat up the boy thrice on the left hand palm.

The court was told that the boy sustained injuries and was treated at Victoria Falls District Hospital.

Beating of children at home and at school was outlawed by the High Court in a landmark ruling early this year when Harare High Court judge Justice David Mangota ruled that parents and teachers must not lay their hands on children even if they misbehave.

Justice Mangota also declared unconstitutional Section 69 (2) (c) of the Education Act which permits corporal punishment.