Free State High School Learners Allege Sexual Harassment by Teachers

Six former learners from St. Bernard High School in Boshof, Free State, have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against their teachers. The young women, now aged between 17 and 19, say the incidents took place while they were still enrolled at the school in 2024.

The former learners recently opened criminal cases, accusing three teachers of inappropriate conduct. They allege that some educators sent them explicit messages and images on social media platforms.

One of the survivors revealed that attempts to raise the issue with the school at the time were ignored, leaving them feeling silenced and unsafe. “We were too afraid to speak out while in matric. We feared victimisation and losing the support we needed to complete our studies,” one of the learners explained.

The allegations came to light earlier this month when one of the victims shared her experience on social media. Her post encouraged other survivors to come forward and publicly disclose their own stories of harassment.

Following these revelations, the Free State Department of Education confirmed that one teacher has been dismissed, while two others have been placed on suspension pending investigations.

Parents of the affected learners said they only became aware of the allegations after the matter gained traction online. The survivors expressed that they had been hesitant to even confide in their families due to fear of further victimisation.

The department has pledged to support the ongoing investigations and ensure accountability. Meanwhile, the learners say their primary goal is for justice to prevail. “We want to make sure no other child goes through what we went through,” one of them said.