Richards Bay school finds a way to eradicate bullying
Veldenvlei Primary School in Richards Bay has taken it upon themselves to seek ways to put an end to the ever-growing bullying trend.
Listen as Jane speaks to Alida de Bruyn and Nicolene Oosthuizen, two teachers who implemented the 'Bully Box' in the podcast, then read more below:
School bullying has become a scary, growing phenomenon in South Africa. In 2017, there was an endless supply of bullying videos doing the rounds on social media platforms.
Read: Burger King tackles bullying in new ad
According to NoBullying.com, a poll undertaken in 2014 surveyed over 2,000 students. According to the results, an astounding 58% of South African students had been targeted by bullies.
To counteract the act of bullying, Veldenvlei Primary School have come up with a cool idea to potentially reduce bullying incidents in schools. They call it the 'Bully Box', where pupils can drop in anonymous complaints about bullies. School management then takes over and investigates allegations.
Read: Should parents of bullies face the law for their kids' actions?
According to an interview with News24, the concept was picked up on social media by best friends, Alida de Bruyn and Nicolene Oosthuizen, who are teachers. "We thought there was a great need for children to express themselves. They don't always want to come forward to parents or teachers", De Bruyn said.
I just love this concept and to be honest, I'm not sure why this hasn't been done sooner?! Having three kids I am very aware of how they treat people and how others test them.
Read: School anti-bullying policies must be in place: KZN Education
Sadly, being a bully doesn't only happen at school, it happens in workplaces and homes.
I am such a fan of this open communication and think that nipping a bully in the bud could quite possibly save a life. I'm all for this.