GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - On Wednesday 26 November, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, in partnership with Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality, the police and the Department of Education, visited two schools in Graaff-Reinet. 

Thembalesizwe Primary School and Lingcom Primary School were visited and accessed as part of Government's ongoing commitment to promoting child safety, anti-bullying awareness, and gender-based violence (GBV) education.

Engagement with facilitators and learners opened up opportunities for discussions about current problems and resolutions for the future.

Constable Cladio Leonard, the SAPS GBV co-ordinator, engaged with learners on the importance of staying alert, protecting themselves, and reporting any form of violence or inappropriate behaviour to a responsible adult.

The Department of Education’s representative on GBV, Simamkele Sithebe, presented a session on learner support, placing a strong focus on bullying.

Physical bullying, verbal bullying, emotional bullying and cyberbullying were addressed, and learners were reminded that bullying harms confidence and emotional well-being. 

The scars left by bullying can change the way you adapt to the pressures of life, and these scars have to be addressed before they have time to impact on a learner’s person.

The Sarah Baartman District Municipality surprised each of the schools with a sponsorship for gardening equipment and implements for their school gardens, which were handed over after the conclusion of the information sessions.

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