Education minister condemns public shaming of child who failed exams

A video circulating on social media showing a guardian publicly humiliating a young boy for failing his year-end exams has raised concern about the emotional and psychological well-being of pupils.

Pupils received their report cards last week, with some advancing to the next grade while others remain behind.

In the video, the guardian calls the child “stupid” and tells him to “go to the streets and grab phones”.

Education minister Sanet Steenkamp has condemned the incident and urges parents to adopt more constructive approaches when addressing academic performance.

“There are much more mature ways for parents to handle children’s reports. The last thing we need are parents shouting at pupils or humiliating them. We should focus on how best to support the child in the new academic year. This country does not need more thieves. What we need are educated people, and we can only educate them once we have the support of everyone,” Steenkamp says.

Boy empowerment advocate Edison Uapingene also condemns the incident, calling it emotional abuse.

“Public shaming is not discipline, and it is certainly not a form of love. Words like these cut deeply, undermining a child’s self-worth, dignity and sense of possibility,” Uapingene says.

“When a boy is insulted, labelled or encouraged towards criminal activity, we are crippling his confidence and pushing him into the very behaviours society fears.”

Uapingene stresses that failure in school is not a measure of intelligence or a predictor of the future.

“Children, especially boys, who often struggle silently under pressure need support, guidance and encouragement. They deserve constructive conversations, emotional safety and opportunities to understand and improve, not ridicule.”

He calls on parents, caregivers and the community to remember that no child learns through humiliation, no child improves when they are broken emotionally and no child deserves to be directed towards crime because of academic struggles.

“Boys need positive role models, safe spaces, mentorship and patience. They need adults who can build them up, not tear them down publicly for likes, laughs or frustration,” Uapingene adds.

Psychologist and Eureka Psychological Services executive Ceaseria Mutau warns that public shaming can have lasting effects on children, particularly adolescents.

“Humiliating a child on camera causes immediate fear and embarrassment, and it also creates a profound sense of betrayal,” Mutau says.

She says once the video is shared online, the humiliation becomes permanent and replayed, intensifying the child’s emotional distress.

Mutau adds that the short-term effects often include acute stress, withdrawal, anxiety and a drop in confidence and academic motivation.

“Repeated or severe humiliation can lead to chronic low self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorders and identity disturbances. Children may grow up believing they are inherently ‘stupid’ or ‘worthless.’”

Mutau emphasises that public humiliation is not discipline but emotional abuse.

“Verbal insults, threats, belittling and public humiliation damage a child’s psychological development. Recording and sharing the incident publicly adds another layer of harm, stripping the child of dignity and privacy.”

She advises parents to correct behaviour in private, speak with respect and provide guidance and support.

“If parenting stress becomes overwhelming, seeking help from a social worker, counsellor or family member is not a sign of failure but a sign of responsible parenting,” she says.

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