Education

            The following cases of bullying between learners were reported to our Safer Schools Directorate:

(i)         2015/16 financial year = 56

(ii)        2016/17 financial year = 107

 

(b)       The Western Cape Education Department views bullying in a very serious light, and applies a range of measures to deal with the issue.

 

We can summarise these measures under five headings, namely:

1. Policies and procedures

2. Training

3. Support for victims

4. Education on bullying

5. Advocacy

 

1. Policies and procedures

 

The WCED has implemented a policy called “Abuse no More” that provides guidelines to schools on dealing with any form of abuse, including bullying.

 

The guidelines provide advice on reporting incidents of abuse, how to support victims and how to deal with perpetrators.

 

Schools have to deal with bullying in terms of the Codes of Conduct. Bullying is regarded as serious misconduct, in terms of national guidelines and regulations published in terms of the South African Schools Act.

 

The WCED has published extensive guidelines online on managing discipline at schools, including dealing with bullying. The guidelines provided have been extremely popular.

 

2. Training

 

Psychologists, Counsellors and Social Workers appointed by the Directorate: Inclusive and Specialised Education Support are based at the District Offices and provide training for Educators in a variety of programmes, such as :

•   understanding behaviour ;

•   managing misbehaviour in the classroom ;

•   ‘connecting’ with troubled learners ;

•   leadership training ; and

•   adopting “restorative” codes of conduct.

 

They also provide training programmes for Learners covering areas such as :

•   anti-violence programmes

•   specific training in anti-bullying strategies ;

•   anger management strategies;

•   ‘diversion’ programmes for learners at-risk of suspension and/or expulsion etc.

 

3. Support

 

Psychologists, Counsellors and School Social Workers provide individual and/or group counselling and therapeutic support to learners who report that they are being bullied.

 

In terms of the inclusive education framework, all schools are encouraged to develop effective School-Based Support Teams (SBST) in order to provide an avenue of support for Educators who have to deal with learners who are experiencing or manifesting barriers to learning in their classrooms.

 

Staff from the Specialised Learner and Educator Support (SLES) component in the districts regularly conducts parenting skills training workshops at schools as well as providing information on effective child-rearing practices. This would include guidance for Parents on how to assist their children to deal with the pressures exerted by ‘social media’.

 

4. Education

 

The Life Skills curriculum includes education on bullying.

 

For example, the Grade 4 curriculum covers different types of bullying and how to protect yourself from bullying.

 

Grade 6 learners learn about reasons for bullying and how to “get out of the bullying habit”. The curriculum provides advice on where to get help.

 

Our Safe Schools division provides extra-mural youth development programmes to build capacity for positive behaviour, addressing aggressive and violent behaviour, including bullying.

 

The Safe Schools division held an Anti-bullying Symposium involving SMTs, staff and SGBs of schools at risk addressing the following:

•     Bully/Victim Assessment by Dr Brenda Matthews

•     School Management Best Practice by Principal of Klipfontein PS

•     Cyber Bullying (Safety and Awareness) by the Film Publication Board

•     Bystander /Awareness by the Jag Foundation

•     Gang and Violence in schools by the WCED Chief Education Psychometrics

 

Learners who experience bullying at school can phone the Safe Schools’ Call Centre on the toll-free number: 0800 45 46 47 for assistance.

 

Safe Schools has been training educators as Master trainers in the Addressing Bullying in Schools programme.

 

The training for educators is conducted by a multi-functional district team which includes SLES, Safe Schools, IMG and CTM.

 

This programme forms part of the National School Safety Framework.  Safe Schools have also been training learners in Anti-bullying programmes as part of the WCED’s after- school and holiday programmes.

 

5. Advocacy

 

Our district offices work with schools various partners to launch anti-bullying campaigns.

 

For example, our Metro South Education District works with a range of partners to provide anti-bullying programmes at schools every year.

 

The programmes reach about 120 schools of 215 schools in the district each year. The partners include the Quaker Peace Centre.

 

The district organises an Anti-Bullying Week in May every year. The district also plans to launch an Anti-Bullying Charter in August this year after extensive consultation with schools.

 

Metro Central provided a District Wide training programme in 2014 and 2015 and are currently conducting ‘top up training’ to school social workers, school psychologists. The District also collaborates with effective organisations such as the JAG foundation who works closely with our schools.

 

Metro East has a Positive Behaviour Coordinator who works with schools, circuit managers and officials to identify schools needing specific support. This support includes well-structured training programmes for learners on all levels and teachers. Topics include anti-bullying and violence; restorative practices; classroom management; parenting skills on bullying; self-esteem and its effects on behaviour; and addressing the behaviour of young children.

 

The Cape Winelands recently hosted an Anti-Bullying Conference for educators and School Governing Body members with regard to Bully Behaviour in Schools. The District hosted a number of experts in the field that addressed important topics such as the Prevalence of Bully behaviour, Bullying as Barrier to Learning and Cyber Bullying.  The Legislative context for addressing Bully behaviour in schools was and the Policy guidelines regarding the development of a Policy on the Prevention and Management of Bullying for the Schools were discussed at length.

 

 

 

Another great example is the Eden and Karoo District that organises a number special events to raise awareness regarding bullying and also provides ongoing training and support for learners, teachers and parents, to provide practical advice on how to deal with bullying. The competitions identify the top five schools in a range of categories, including the Best School Policy; Best Drawings depicting bullying, for Grades 1 to 6; Best Essays on anti-bullying measures, for Grades 7 to 12; and the Best PowerPoint Presentation, for Grades 10 to 12; and a speech competition for Grades 9 to 12.