What do I do if a learner is injured or falls ill at a fixture or on tour, and what must I report afterwards?

If medical treatment is needed (regulation 8A(8)), the supervising educator must:

1. try to contact the parent to get consent for the treatment; and
2. if the parent cannot be reached, decide whether to consent to the treatment.

Report on return (regulation 8B(2)-(4)): immediately after the activity, the supervising educator must submit a report to the principal if there was any accident, any injury to a learner, educator, driver or anyone else, or any misconduct by a learner, educator, driver or anyone else. The report must cover:

• the nature of the incident and of any injury;
• the time, date and place;
• the procedures followed in dealing with it;
• the name of the supervising educator.

The principal sends the report to the departmental official who approved the activity and to the chairperson of the school governing body.

Claims (regulation 8A(2)-(6)): the school must take out insurance against accidents, injuries, medical expenses, hospitalisation and theft, depending on available funds. It must help the parent claim from the insurer, from the Road Accident Fund where it is liable, or from the state under section 60 of the Schools Act. An insurer may not rely on section 60 to avoid paying.