WINDHOEK - A 19-year-old learner at Omuthiya Junior Primary School is alleged to have assaulted a female teacher after she confiscated his MP3 player.

Electronic devices such as iPads, MP3s, cell-phones and other gadgets are prohibited on school premises because they interfere with both the processes of teaching and learning. The alleged assault occurred at around 12h00 last Friday. The teacher was trying to get learners to return to their classroom, after they had finished writing their mid-year examinations.

Sources said in the process the teacher saw two boys listening to music on the MP3 player and asked them to surrender the music gadget to her. “The boys refused and she decided to grab it from them. But a group of learners standing close became riotous’ screaming to the teacher to return the gadget to its owner,” said a source.

According to the principal, Gerhart Ndafenongo, what transpired is highly embarrassing and tarnishes the name of the school, as well as that of the Ministry of Education. “The teacher was just doing her work, because all learners were told not to bring electronic devices to school, and were warned that if found with such devices they would be confiscated,” said the principal.

“Learners will think that it is fashionable to fight teachers. It’s very embarrassing and I don’t even know how to describe the incident.”

The principal confirmed that after the teacher confiscated the MP3 player, chaos broke out amid screaming and yelling, while the riotous learners all claimed ownership of the music device.

“The teacher decided to smash it because she didn’t know to which of the learners it belonged. Some calm was restored as learners returned to the classroom, but the true owner decided to go back to the teacher and attacked her,” said Ndafenongo. It is believed that the learner struck the teacher in the face causing immediate swelling.

Ndafenongo said after the learner assaulted the teacher, the matter was reported to his office and he suspended the learner, while the case is being investigated. He said he has already compiled a report to be forwarded to the school inspector’s office, who in turn will forward it to the director of education for a final decision.