During this educational campaign, learners made posters with notes like ‘Stand up for what is right’ and ‘Bullying is cruel, so don’t act like a fool’.
“We want to create a safe environment for our learners. We won’t tolerate bullying and want our learners to speak up when they are victims of bullying or if they are witness to it,” Thulane Gamma, mentor and facilitator, said.
School bullying is described by the Department of Education as bullying that occurs either inside or outside of school and can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeated over some time.
In April a Grade 10 learner at Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo, Lufuno Mavhungu (15), was seen beaten by another Grade 10 learner who repeatedly slapped her while other schoolgirls cheered on, taking a video of the incident. The video has gone viral on social media and sadly Lufuno committed suicide on April 12.
“We are proud to declare Kgoro ya Thuto Secondary as a no-bullying zone,” Thulane said, who also added that the campaign was in honour of Lufuno.
The learners also celebrated Tekkie Friday, a fund-raising concept for educators. Wearing their tekkies and holding their no-bullying posters, the learners ended the day with mixed emotions.
For more information, Thulane Gamma can be contacted on 071 569 1602.
