𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗨 𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟𝗦’ 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗡 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗗𝗘

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿.

The 3 schools, namely, Brackenfell and Bosmansdam Primary Schools in Cape Town as well as Lorraine Primary School in Gqeberha have inserted in their uniform policy for learners, underwear as part of the uniform. The implication is that they check minors’ underwear to ascertain if learners abide by the school dress code as enshrined in the uniform policy. These ridiculous policies are an 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆, against the spirit of the Constitution.

Section 28(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that a child’s best interests are of paramount importance in every matter concerning a child, including the right to privacy and dignity. To have your underwear checked is indeed an infringement of children’s rights to privacy and dignity.

It will create an unconducive learning environment for the pupils. Learners whose underwear is not in good condition or torn may have their peers/fellow pupils teasing and laughing about it. It can even be an ammunition for bullying. This would certainly cause shame and distress for them, leading to a decline in confidence among peers and concentration during lessons.

𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗨 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘀. The School Governing Bodies (SGBs) of such schools must be tutored in human rights principles so that they do not approve policy provisions that infringe on the rights of children in the future.