Government Departments comprising Social Development, Basic Education, Home Affairs, Health and Communications and Digital Technologies Department have launched an Anti-Bullying Campaign at Tshepana Primary School in Orange Farm, South of Johannesburg last Friday.
The multi-sector and inter-departmental campaign aims to mobilize learners, parents, teachers and key stakeholders in promoting a safe learning environment for quality education. It also seeks to mobilize constructive community involvement in schools to curb incidents of bullying and violence.
Addressing teachers, parents and learners during the launch Basic Education Deputy Minister, Reginah Mhaule, said, "We have visited you as different departments because of bullying being identified as serious a problem. Let us all say no to bullying, be a good example by reporting incidents of bullying instead of being a bystander and in worse cases, taking videos. It is not good, we should work together as society to address this heinous issue".
"We do not want the repetition of the incident that took place to one of us in Limpopo where a 15-year-old learner Lufuno Mavhunga committed suicide after the release of a video of her being repeatedly slapped by a fellow learner a month ago.
As parents and community leaders it should start with us at home by being exemplary to our children. We should not fight in front of children and we must always instill discipline, added Mhaule.
Social Development Deputy Minister, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu encouraged learners to make use of the services or programmes such as YOLO. YOLO Programme aims to build resilience, increase autonomy, self-esteem and self-efficacy of the individual, and to minimize sexual behaviours that expose young people to new HIV infection and unplanned pregnancies by enhancing and developing specific social and life skills".
Bogopane–Zulu added "We also have Boys championing change, Chomme and Ke Moja. When we utilize these programmes; we can have a better society free from bullying. We also have programmes for families. All these programmes teach us how to behave. As government, we will ensure all these programmes are implemented here in Orange Farm and beyond".