KZN Education denounces the bullying incident at Thabela High School
The KZN Department of Education has initiated an investigation into a viral bullying incident that occurred at Thabela High School, located near Durban.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has condemned the bullying incident at Thabela High School, which was recorded and is being shared on social media.
It is not yet clear when the incident happened, however, a task team has been dispatched to conduct a thorough investigation and provide psychological support to the affected learners.
KZN EDUCATION CONDEMNS BULLYING INCIDENT AT THABELA HIGH SCHOOL
KZN Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the incident undermines the core values of respect, dignity and within schools.
Mahlambi said they prioritise the wellbeing of all learners and they take incidents of bullying very seriously. As such, swift action has been initiated to address the situation at the school outside Durban.
“We urge all learners, educators, parents and community members to work together in cultivating a culture of mutual respect and zero tolerance towards bullying in our schools.
“Bullying not only disrupts the learning process but also leaves a lasting negative impact on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of those involved,” Mahlambi said.
Following the incident, Mahlambi said the department will also intensify anti-bullying programmes in schools across the province.
ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
Earlier this year, the Western Cape Education department held an anti-bullying event at Fairmount Secondary school.
The event formed part of the wider ‘Raise your Voice, Not your phone’ campaign. The initiative intends to tackle misconceptions around bullying and the use of phones and other devices to record instances of violence or victimisation.
The Western Cape government said they are aware that bullying is happening in many schools, both in the province, the country, as well as internationally, in some shape or form.
“It can be verbal, physical or via a third party through social media. Any learner or parent of a learner who has gone through such abuse knows the pain and trauma it can bring. It can lead to depression, anxiety, self-harming and in some cases, even suicide.
“The use of social media has heightened these risks. Learners are now using various social media platforms to either tease, embarrass, intimidate or torment other learners. The sad reality is that it involves thousands of learners – who are either posting, sharing, or re-tweeting videos, photos or messages that damage the reputation or confidence of others.”