The Gauteng Department of Education in South Africa held a colloquium on the Prevention of Bullying in Gauteng Schools. The aim was to establish current trends regarding bullying, to assess the impact of bullying on the school life of children, and to explore solutions to minimize incidents and consequences of bullying. Ministry of Education Commissioner Barbara Creecy gave an opening address in which she mentioned how a 6-year-old boy in Mpumalanga is too scared to go back to school after being raped by fellow students.
The GDE has already implemented three initiatives to improve learning and to stop bullying: School Safety Policies and Plans that schools can adapt to their school’s needs; psycho-social support where lay counselors have been appointed to provide support for schools; and school patrollers, who provide 24-hour security in schools and to assist with learner supervision in and around schools, before and after school and during breaks.
After the colloquium the GDE will surely set up more initiatives to tackle bullying in schools.
Check out the article:
http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57899
