Rand Park Primary takes a stand against bullying

With bullying remaining a prevalent issue in schools nationwide, Rand Park Primary School recognised the importance of involving parents in the fight against bullying. The campaign served as a platform for parents to gain insights into identifying signs of bullying, understanding its impact, and learning strategies to support their children.

John Buswell, a respected figure in the field of anti-bullying education, led the informative sessions, providing parents and learners with valuable resources and practical advice. Through engaging presentations and interactive discussions, Buswell emphasised the significance of fostering a culture of kindness and empathy within families and communities.

“Bullying is rife in today’s school culture, with devastating consequences which negatively affect not only learners and staff, but the broader community, the general school climate, and the overall functioning of the school. Research shows that bullying can be a precursor to aggression and, if not addressed, may lead to more acts of violence,” remarked Buswell. “The role of the school is to provide an appropriate education for its pupils. A stable, secure learning environment is an essential requirement to achieve this goal.”

Attendees expressed gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the anti-bullying campaign, highlighting its relevance and importance in addressing a pressing societal issue. A parent at the school, Desre Nieuwoudts said, “There are so many complaints of bullying in the high schools that make their way on Facebook through community pages. It’s a desperate situation. But what we see is that it starts here at the foundation level and the bullies and the bully come from households with parents who need to re-look at how we deal with bullying.” Nieuwoudts added that having this workshop added to the school calendar brought her joy.
“We are happy that the school set aside a day for workshops with all the students and parents so that we can have a different perspective on bullying.”

Tina Parag, another parent, agreed and said that the workshops not only opened the minds of parents but also had the children talking. “The workshops created such a buzz for the children so when we got here after school, it was all every child was talking about. Every child was talking about what they learned and it was so much different from what we teach [as parents]. I think we only touch the ground and don’t dig deep into what the problem really is.”

Nieuwoudts explained that the anti-bullying campaign at Rand Park Primary underscored the school’s commitment to promoting a culture of respect, acceptance, and inclusion. “It’s a huge problem and we need every school to look at the positive movements we made in this regard and follow suit, because we don’t just want this initiative in our school and then it’s not filtered through to other schools.
“We are very grateful that our school has somehow led the pack in doing something directly focused on addressing this bullying issue.”

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