Even though Anti-Bullying Week 2022 is coordinated in England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, on Wednesday, November 16 Discovery Primary Full Service School staff commemorated the day by showing up dressed in black.
According to the school’s Principal Raymond Peters, over the Covid-19 period, everything was elevated and they thought that this year they should commemorate anti-bullying week.
Anti-Bullying Week is observed every year in the third week of November and this year it is held from November 14 to 18.
Recognising that bullying has a long-term effect on the victim’s mental health and quality of life, Charlotte Mooka who is the school’s first ever social worker said that they just want to raise awareness and make the learners aware that bullying is bad.
“Sometimes learners bully each other and are not aware that what they are doing is actually wrong and has long lasting effects.
“This week we decided to put up posters so that all the learners can have the understanding of what bullying is and what it does to others.
“We just want to encourage the learners to speak up because the issue is a serious one worldwide,” said Mooka.
Dressed in black, all staff members committed themselves to combating bullying at the school by encouraging a zero-tolerance policy.
The school’s Based Support Team Coordinator, K Paul told the Record that children and adults are all being caught up in some or other bullying case, as a school they are trying to create awareness around bullying and what learners can do should they experience bullying.
“We feel that the most important issues of bullying that need to be addressed is that of bystanders because they see what happens and have all the evidence but don’t speak out.
“Some of the bystanders are encouraging the bullying and some are just quiet because they don’t want to get involved or be called names,” said Paul.
School violence, and bullying including cyber bullying, is widespread and affects a significant number of children and adolescents.
The day calls on the attention of learners, parents, members of the community, education authorities and a range of sectors and partners, including the tech industry, to encourage everyone to take a part in preventing online violence for the safety and well-being of children and youth.
