THE first in a series of day-long seminars to interrogate ways of making schools a safer place for high school learners was held at Durban High School this month.
Educators, governing bodies and other stakeholders have grappled with fault-lines in typical school systems and structures and are looking at starting conversations around improved ways of safe-guarding learners. Working towards achieving this Durban High School, the Governing Body Foundation, The Guardian and DigiComms decided on a series of seminars considering different areas of concern, including bullying; inappropriate educator/learner relations, “Blessers,” drugs, gangs, social media protocols and infrastructure, among others.
The inaugural seminar aimed to prioritise some of these areas of concern, and as a starting point, began the conversation with“Breaking the Code of Silence”.
The general consensus from the seminar was that this was a hugely successful exercise. There was positive feedback regarding the quality of speakers, SAMSOSA consultant Luke Lamprecht, former Head of Clinical Psychology at UCT, Terence Dowdall, and The Guardian’s Marc Hardwick, as well as the importance to prioritise Breaking the Code of Silence.
There were brave personal testimonies of survivors of abuse, helpful hints as to change the status quo, interesting exhibits, and interactive workshop sessions, and the organisers are hopeful of similar such seminars in the future, talking to different and equally important themes.
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