23 Jul 2019

The mass psychogenic illness affecting the Lempu students in Salajwe is still on-going, with some students no longer attending school due to relapses.

When addressing the Letlhakeng Sub-council meeting on Monday, the Council chairperson Mr Thomas Batlhophi said the District Health Management Team had embarked on a study in which they interviewed all 145 affected students and some 314 unaffected students.

He said the team  was still analysing the data with preliminary results showing that boarding girls were the most affected.

Mr Batlhophi said the interviewees said there was no security and adequate lighting at the dormitories and that the ablutions were not clean.

He further said most of them had a history of being bullied, depression and anxiety and they stated that they experienced physical abuse.

The council chairperson said the team was preparing to meet with the school authorities to discuss the preliminary results and recommendations, including expediting renovations and ongoing psychosocial support for students.

Mr Batlhophi said the team was expected to have the final results ready to be presented in the next council session. ENDS