Bullying incident galvanises pupils to act
OUTRAGED by a the recent shocking incident of bullying which led to a Limpopo learner committing suicide, learners from Portland High School in Mitchells Plain have launched a campaign against bullying at their school.
According to teachers, proactive learners approached them with the idea to recommit and sign an antibullying pledge found in the Metro South Education District’s anti-bullying policy.
Teacher Sharne Adams said: “After Lufuno Mavhunga’s bullying incident went viral, I think we were all concerned and outraged. However, our learners took it a step further and decided to take action.
“Our school’s anti-bullying chairperson, Camorin du Plessis, came to ask if the student body could host an anti-bullying campaign in support of Lufuno and commit themselves to never bully.
“Camorin, in collaboration with different student bodies, organised the campaign, and the majority of our learners loved and supported it. Over 500 learners have since signed the district’s anti-bullying pledge,” said Adams. We are proud and grateful to have such thoughtful young students at our school, and we hope that they take the commitment they pledged to here into their communities as well,“ added Adams. The pledge learners took reads: “I pledge NOT to use my hands or my words for hurting others. I will use them (hands and words) to help and build others instead.”
The 14-year-old girl accused of assaulting her classmate Lufuno appeared in the Thohoyandou Margistrate’s Court in Limpopo on a charge of assault.
Education and social activism organisation, Equal Education said it had repeatedly called for the government to provide suitable and accessible professional psychosocial support services, and to acknowledge the importance of efficient school-based referral systems for learners.
Researcher Stacey Jacobs said the Western Cape Education Department developed a provincial “Safe Schools Programme” which works with schools to ensure safe and successful school environments, but data showed that learners in the province did not make use of the initiative.