JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Education has launched an inquiry after a Soweto school teacher allegedly lashed a Grade 11 pupil nearly a hundred times.
The pupil is believed to have written more than required in an essay.
According to reports, the situation got so bad that the girl's male classmates took some of the lashes for her.
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Gauteng Education Department Spokesperson Steve Mabona said officials started their probe on Wednesday and will return to the school on Friday to gather more details surrounding the alleged incident.
"We are still in the early stages of this process," he said.
Mabona condemned any form of corporal punishment in schools saying it is prohibited.
"There's no justification and actually it's an assault. We will normally encourage families to even open a case where police then will also investigate that because corporate punishment is outlawed constitutionally," he said.
Mabona said officials of the department have been sent to interact with the family and check on how the child must be supported.