12 Dec 2022

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has developed a pastoral policy that is designed to address indiscipline and psycho-social issues in schools.

Assistant Minister Aubrey Lesaso told Parliament during the ministers’ question time that the policy was supported by trained Guidance and Counselling teachers who collaborated with social services and the police.

He said the ministry had a life skills programme under the guidance and counselling programme designed to educate and socialise learners on various aspects including financial management, sexuality education, gender and social roles, family and national values, among others, and targeted learners from primary school level onwards.

Mr Lesaso said the ministry was working with other stakeholders to rehabilitate offenders such as the Ikago Centre in Molepolole.

He said he was aware of bullying, violence and other forms of delinquent practices perpetrated by students on their peers and staff members in schools, but there was no statistics  as some went unreported.

He added that two homicides and eight suicides were reported in schools in the past 12 months.

He said the proliferation of social media had highlighted some of the incidences of bullying and fighting that occurred in schools with bystanders recording rather than reporting such cases.

He said the ministry was not intending to conduct an inquiry as a research investigation was conducted in 2020 following a spate of incidents.

Mr Lesaso said the investigating team targeted 16 schools and used focus group discussions with union representatives, guidance teachers, disciplinary committees, parents, teachers and students leadership.

“The terms of reference sought to identify the root causes of violence in schools and reflect on the effectiveness of interventions in place.

The report identified a number of factors that contributed to indiscipline in schools including school management, parental involvement in their children’s upbringing with many coming from single parent fasmilies, the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse in the society,” he said.

He said COVID-19 exacerbated the challenges with children experiencing anxiety and lack of social interaction.

Mr Lesaso appealed to Parliament for community mobilisation in the fight against violence in the society.

He was responding to a question from Ghanzi South Member of Parliament Mr Motsamai Motsamai who asked the minister if he was aware of bullying, violence and other forms of delinquent practices perpetrated by students on others and staff members in school.

Mr Motsamai asked the minister the number of such incidents in schools in the past 10 years and if there had been any deaths recorded as a result of such incidents.

He also asked if the ministry had instituted any interventions to deal with the incidents.

The minister was also asked if there were any considerations to conduct an inquiry into the acts of violence. ENDS