Grade 3 learner says he wants to be a gangster
A young child's answer to a question in an activity sheet has left the community shocked: "One day I am going to be a gangster and hold a gun in my hand. I am going to be a gangster and smuggle guns in my house."
A screenshot of a Grade 3 learner's answer sheet from an activity has shocked and concerned the community.
The activity's question was: “Write a personal narration of five sentences about what you want to do one day and why you want to do it.”
The child answered: "One day, I am going to be a gangster and hold a gun in my hand. I am going to be a gangster and smuggle guns into my house."
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond noted that the name of the school and the student would not be revealed for protection reasons.
I can sadly confirm that this did come from one of our primary schools in response to a question during class. There may still be hope for the child concerned and the relevant officials notified in terms of interventions. It is heartbreaking to see that such a young learner could aspire to something like this.
Hammond said an investigation would ensue and shared that kids are often influenced by "family, friends, and the community they live in".
He stressed the importance of spreading confidence and good values among the youth, but this is not a task the department can undertake alone. It requires help from parents and the community.
"Parents have a major role to play in shaping their child’s personality, character, habits, and emotional development. However, if the parents are not present, uninterested, abusive or lead negatively by example, this can hurt children," he said.
As frightening as it might be to see the results of a negatively influential part of our communities, i.e. gangsterism, it is a reality that requires much reform.
Pastor Leon Jacobs, a former gangster, said it's essential to identify the root causes behind something like this. A young child aspiring to be a gangster is influenced by what they see.
He spoke about the "attention" that these young kids get from the streets, not to mention the flashy lifestyle that they see, coupled with a possible lack of love, attention, and nurturing from parents could push kids into this lifestyle.
Intervention needs to be held where the learner should be taken to the cells or Bosasa Youth Development Centre so that he can see gangsterism is not child’s play, it is serious business and hopefully make a turn around.
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