PORT ELIZABETH - BULLYING FORCES GIRL TO LEAVE PE SCHOOL

Bullying in schools has become one of the challenges facing the department of education. In the past couple of months, several videos have emerged on social media showing bullying across the country.

Reports have surfaced in Port Elizabeth where a teenage girl was forced to drop out of school in the Northern Areas for fear of her bullies.

The excitement of starting big school became a nightmare for six year-old Sinalo, (not his real name). This after he was bullied on his first month at his new school. The bullying started with teasing, and songs being sung about him being overweight.

“Every Sunday when we are getting ready for school he'd panic. I'd ask him how is school then he will say, can I please go to Grade R it's not nice there. I though he was just being a kid. Then the following week I had a complaint that the other kids were teasing him. There is a song they sing about a woman with big boobs and they tease him about his legs and weight,” said Sinalo’s mother.

The victim’s mother is now concerned that this has affected his self-esteem.

“He is suffering from anxiety, you know in the morning when he has to go to school, you won't like it. He would say mommy can you please take me and wait for me there at school. It's really bad. He even has a low self-esteem, you know he won't even undress in front of me anymore now, he says I'm going to laugh at him.”

It's alleged that Sinalo has also suffered physical bullying by elder school mates, and his pocket money was taken from him as well. His mother says she raised her concerns with the school, but nothing was done.

A letter she received from the school principal states that learners do not understand the difference between playing, teasing, fighting and bullying. Education consultant, Professor Susan van Rensburg says schools should intervene and not protect the bullies in such incidents.

“We are working under the policy of inclusive education, which means we have to look at the dignity of every child. Irrespective of what handicaps the child has got. What they can do is, instead of having rights for the bully to bully other people, they should stand-up for the rights of all other pupils at the school. So, on this instance they can have a school program where they do anti-bullying campaigns.”

The department of education says they have several programs that deal with bullying at schools.

Sinalo has spent this week at home, as his mother is still looking for another school that will accommodate him. The school could not be reached for comment. However in the letter written to the parent, the school principal also states that last month the class teacher did address the issue with learners, where they were told teasing, fighting and bullying could lead to a conflict.

VIA - sabc