South Africa: Violence at School: 'Lack of political will' blamed, among other factors By Bheki C. Simelane colibheki
According to the fledgeling South African teachers’ union, the Education Union of South Africa 50 teachers are attacked or threatened by learners in South Africa’s schools a month. The union said from May 2018 to date, already over 600 cases of violence in schools have been reported at its offices.
South African Council of Educators spokesperson Themba Ndhlovu has repeatedly pleaded with teachers to report cases of violence and not bottle them up as this could harm their careers. There have also been suggestions from both civil society and parents that learner-on-teacher violence spiked soon after the abolishment of capital punishment in the country’s schools and that pupils were generally not susceptible to discipline. The Department of Basic Education dismissed this and labelled corporal punishment a crime.This line of thought is probably driven by people who don’t realise that corporal punishment is actually itself violence,” spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said.
Added Lamb: “Furthermore, schools that are vulnerable to such violence may see such violence take place where there is an absence of a working relationship between the school and the local police station. Where there is a major gap for the prevention of such violence in terms of social workers and school counsellors who can work with learners who are prone to violence”.
Mhlanga said the Department of Basic Education has neither the budget nor the technical expertise to assume this specialised task of eradicating violence in the country’s schools. But, Mhlanga said, this did not absolve the department of any responsibility as they are responsible for basic education in the country. He said society must take responsibility to protect its own people, schools and its own environment.
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