The minister also reiterated his call for the school governing bodies to implement the Code Codes firmly and fairly.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has raised an alarm on the increasing crisis of bullying and misconduct in South African schools
It follows the recent events of young girls seen in a viral video, which causes a fellow pupil and has several claims of violent misconduct in South African schools.
Speaking Befall On Wednesday, Gwarube stressed that school discipline cannot be addressed with punitive measures alone.
“These things are deeply vested in our societies, and you are watching such violence playing yourself in our schools,” he said.
Seven minors arrested
Seven teenage girls between the ages of 13 and 14 were arrested on May 18 to attack a fellow disciple in Johannesburg earlier this month on Sunday, 18 May.
The group was detained after a disturbing video went viral on social media, in which the victim was attacked by his companions on 10 May.
According to a statement from the office of the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Gauteng, a case was opened.
Lieutenant Colonel Mawla Masso said, “The case of a general attack was opened at the local police station. As a result, the suspects were scored.”
The arrested girls have since been abandoned in custody of their parents.
Police confirmed that the girls were to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s court on Wednesday to face allegations of general attack.
Also read: 7 teenagers appear in court after shocking attack
Incidents of bullying under investigation
Gwarube confirmed that he was in touch with the department about the case of seven girls and is being kept up to date.
“We cannot only allow children to go to school. How can parents trust that their children are safe in school when other children are violating them?” The minister questioned.
Minister Repeated his call to school governing bodies to apply the code of conduct compatible and impartially.
He also warned that the teachers involved in the physical punishment, despite being illegal, would face the results.
“We have zero tolerance for teachers who still practice physical punishment,” he said.
Also read: Discipline and learning collapse in Wordsworth High School
Social support important
Accepting the lack of psychologists in schools, Gwarube insisted that the psychosocial support should be part of the solution.
“Each of the 75 education districts has allocated at least one psychological to schools in that region,” he said.
In severe cases, the department deployed additional psychologists to give immediate support.
“When we had a case of that terrible sexual assault in the eastern cape, we had to bring one of them into a group,” he said.
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Parental role is necessary
Gwarube said that parents should play an active role in shaping their children’s behavior.
“Discipline is nothing that should be dealt with only by teachers,” he said. “Schools are not present in a vacuum. They are present in communities.”
He praised the Western Cape Education Department’s efforts to directly include parents and communities.
He said, “I want to appreciate the MEC for meeting with parents about school discipline. We need such innovation.”
“We have to show for children. They are not bulls born. Many children are in crisis,” he said.
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