Schools need to call in the professionals

The department of basic education should focus on community psychology and psychological interventions for pupils, whose exposure to violence leads to anxiety, depression and aggression, a psychologist says.

Responding to a video that has gone viral of pupils in a mass brawl at a Limpopo school, psychologist Vanessa Barnes said incidents like this pointed to the fact that children were often exposed to violence on a daily basis.

“This violence becomes a norm in our society, leading to an increase in acts of violence amongst children as they become more desensitised to it.”

The video shows scores of pupils on a dusty field screaming and pushing past a few pupils aggressively swinging around what look like pangas.

“The teaching of morals and values is often lacking, both in home environments and at schools, leading to a sense of entitlement and disregard for rules and laws.

“This leads to children turning to violence as a means of expressing their feelings, instead of resolving conflict in a constructive manner.”

“Schools need to seek help from qualified professionals such as social workers, psychologists and counsellors.

“They also need to implement strong disciplinary procedures and policies and set firm boundaries for pupils,” she added.