Gauteng Education MEC saddened by pupil suicides

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has expressed deep sadness after two pupils committed suicide in Gauteng on Monday morning.

In the first incident, a grade 10 learner was discovered hanging in a dormitory at the Soshanguve Secure Centre during lunch.

It is understood the learner had been taken to the juvenile centre about two weeks ago and was awaiting trial.

In a separate incident, a grade 9 pupil from Kgetsi Ya Tsie Secondary School tragically took his own life at home.

Psycho-Social Support

Chiloane said the Gauteng Education Department’s Psycho-Social Support Unit will be dispatched to provide assistance in both cases.

“These incidents serve as a grim reminder that the emotional well-being of learners is a shared responsibility that requires immediate attention from all of us. As we mourn the loss of young lives, there is a growing determination to prevent future tragedies and to foster a culture of support, compassion, and understanding within the educational community.

“We wish to extend our condolences to families and school communities” said Chiloane.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Police probing death of student at Queens High School

Police probing death of student at Queens High School

Meanwhile, the Gauteng Education Department said police are probing the circumstances surrounding the death of Queens High School grade 9 pupil Brian Ndlovu.

Ndlovu passed away on 31 July after returning from school complaining of stomach cramps.

He was rushed to a local medical facility and later certified dead.

Ndlovu’s family suspect bullying as a contributing factor after matriculants at the school allegedly gave him rat poison in the school’s toilets.

Chiloane who visited Queens High School in Johannesburg on Monday said a police investigation would provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding the death of Ndlovu, adding the department and school were co-operating “fully from day one” with the probe

According to preliminary findings there were no reports of bullying involving Ndlovu.

ALSO READ: Two pupils commit suicide at separate schools in Gauteng