Die professionele opvoeder se beroep vereis ʼn hoë graad van sorgsaamheid teenoor leerders. ‘n Opvoeder kan aanspreeklik gehou word indien ‘n leerder ‘n besering opdoen op die skoolterrein en of emosionele skade ly wat vermy kon word.
Die onderstaande is aspekte waarvan kennis geneem moet word om die breër konteks te verstaan met betrekking tot beserings op die skoolterrein.
Wat behels diligens paterfamilias?
Die rol van die opvoeder is om met diligens paterfamilias op te tree. Dit beteken dat die opvoeder soos ‘n ouer in ‘n normale huishouding moet optree met betrekking tot aandag en sorgsaamheid.
Wat behels in loco parentis?
In loco parentis beteken “in die plek van die ouer”. Dit impliseer dat die skool en opvoeder gedurende skoolaktiwiteite in die plek van die ouer staan ten einde sekere funksies te vervul. Dit sluit die onderstaande in:
Wat behels sorgsaamheidsplig?
Die opvoeder se sorgsaamheidsplig sluit die plig in om die leerder te beskerm teen fisiese beserings, asook emosionele benadeling.
Die sorgsaamheidsplig van ‘n skool strek verder as om leerders net teen gevaar te waarsku. Opvoeders moet verseker dat sovêr moontlik daar geen skade gely word nie.
Wat beteken dit om aanspreeklik te wees?
Aanspreeklikheid in die onderwysomgewing berus op die volgende partye:
Hierdie partye kan aanspreeklik gehou word om te vergoed vir skade wat ‘n leerder gely het.
Wat is die 4 vereistes vir deliktuele aanspreeklikheid?
1. Handeling
Die handeling (daad/aksie) moet ‘n willekeurige aksie en ‘n menslike handeling wees, met ander woorde ‘n hond wat by die skool inhardloop en ‘n leerder byt, tel nie as ‘n menslike handeling nie. ‘n Willekeurige handeling is iets wat binne die persoon se beheer is met ander woorde indien ‘n opvoeder sou flou word en ‘n leerder in die proses beseer word, is dit ‘n onwillekeurige handeling.
2. Skuld
Skuld word gesien as iets wat met opset gedoen word of wanneer iemand nalatig was.
3. Skade
Skade verwys onder andere na die volgende:
4. Kousaliteit/oorsaaklikheid
Daar moet ‘n kousale verband bestaan tussen die onregmatige handeling en die nadeel of skade wat ingetree het. (Die handeling/besluit moes die direkte oorsaak van die skade gewees het).
Wat sȇ die wet?
Volgens Gemenereg delegeer ouers hul wetlike verpligting van sorgsaamheid met betrekking tot hul kinders aan die opvoeder.
Die wet stipuleer dat ‘n opvoeder uit die staanspoor uit moet weet dat kinders:
Wat is die redelike persoon toets?
Die vraag word afgevra of die opvoeder die skade kon voorsien het en indien dit redelikerwys voorsienbaar was, het hy/sy redelike maatreëls getref wat die skade kon verhoed het?
Wat is nalatigheid?
Nalatigheid kan aangedui word deur vasgestelde regsvrae:
Watter aktiwiteite word beskou as skoolaktiwiteite?
Alle aktiwiteite wat leerders op die skoolterrein uitoefen sonder dat die leerder se ouers teenwoordig is, word beskou as ‘n skoolaktiwiteit. Dit sluit die normale skool- en buitemuurse aktiwiteite in sowel as spesiale geleenthede/aktiwiteite soos waterkas-kenades, modeparades, talentkompetisies ens.
In watter ander omstandighede is die skool / onderwyser steeds aanspreeklik?
Wat kan `n opvoeder/skool doen om hulself te beskerm wanneer daar `n besering op die terrein is?
INJURIES ON SCHOOL PREMISES AND LIABILITY
The professional educator's calling requires a high degree of caring for learners. An educator may be held liable if a learner sustains an injury on the school premises or suffers emotional damage that could have been avoided.
The following are aspects that must be noted in order to understand the broader context regarding injuries on school premises.
What does diligens paterfamilias include?
The role of the educator is to act with diligens paterfamilias. This means that the educator must act like a parent in a normal household with regard to attention and care.
What does in loco parentis include?
In loco parentis means "in the place of the parent". This implies that the school and educator take the place of the parent during school activities in order to fulfil certain functions. This includes the following:
What does duty to care include?
The educator's duty to care includes the duty to protect the learner from physical injury, as well as emotional harm.
A school's duty to care extends beyond just warning learners about danger. Educators must ensure that, as far as possible, no harm is done.
What does it mean to be accountable?
Accountability in the educational environment rests on the following parties:
These parties can be held liable to compensate for damages suffered by a learner.
What are the 4 requirements for delictual liability?
1. Action
The act (deed/action) must be a voluntary action and a human act, i.e., the action of a dog that runs into the school property and bites a learner is not considered as a human act. A voluntary act is something that is within the person's control. If an educator faints and a learner is injured in the process, this is an involuntary act.
2. Guilt
Guilt is seen as something done on purpose or when someone was negligent.
3. Damage
Damage refers, among other things, to the following:
4. Causality
There must be a causal connection between the unlawful act and the disadvantage or damage that occurred. (The act/decision must have been the direct cause of the damage).
What does the law say?
According to Common Law, parents delegate their legal duty of care in relation to their children, to the educator.
The law stipulates that an educator must know from the outset that children:
What is the reasonable person test?
The question is asked whether the educator could have foreseen the damage; and, if it was reasonably foreseeable, did he/she take reasonable measures that could have prevented the damage?
What is negligence?
Negligence can be indicated by fixed questions of the law:
Which activities are considered school activities?
All activities participated in by learners on the school premises without the learner's parents being present are considered a school activity. This includes the normal school and extra-curricular activities as well as special events/activities such as water fun activities, fashion parades, talent competitions etc.
In what other circumstances is the school / educator still liable?
What can an educator/school do to protect themselves when there is an injury on-site?
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