Principals warn against school bullying

As schools reopen for the new academic year on Monday, school principals are urging pupils to return with good behaviour, urging those from privileged backgrounds to not bully those who cannot afford new uniforms.

Othika Combined School principal Anna Enkono says bullying in schools is a growing concern and it negatively impacts victims’ performances, leading to failure.

Enkono says it is important that parents instill values in their children, saying a well-disciplined child from home will not hurt, disrespect or lose their values.

“Education starts at home, so it is important that parents teach children so that they know what is accepted in society, what is ethical and what is not,” she says.

Enkono says her school has strict rules that are read out to pupils at the beginning of every year, adding that police officers and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare visit the school to educate pupils on the consequences of violating anti-bullying policies.

“Some pupils may even drop out due to the fear of being bullied,” she says.

Gardner Academy principal Fortune Simbarashe says his school has a zero-tolerance policy against bullying and pupils who bully others will be suspended or even expelled from school.

Simbarashe says bullying isolates those who experience it.
“The victims withdraw from their environments and sometimes take it out on others,” he says.

He urges pupils to not always fight back against bullies, saying they should sometimes talk amicably, firmly or walk away. He also urges parents to teach children values at home.

Mulongeni Primary School principal Jannus Haukongo says bullying victims often develop a fear of being alone because they fear that is when bullies attack.

He adds that his school punishes bullies by banning them from school activities like sport, assigning them to sweep classrooms or even withholding breaks.

“We punish bullies by excluding them from school activities so that they learn and know that they have done something wrong,” he says.

Delta School teacher Elizabeth Iyambo says their school gives detention to pupils who bully others, urging them to respect others no matter what.

“Bullying is a serious matter which comes in different forms and causes pupils to have low self-esteem.

We punish bullies by making them work on the school premises like cleaning a portion of grass,” she says.

She urges parents to warn their children about bullying others and to avoid making fun of them, noting that some children make mean comments to others.

“This happens in instances where a fellow pupil has torn shoes or an old uniform.

Parents should teach children that doing so is wrong,” she says.

Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture deputy executive director Edda Bohn says the Basic Education Act prohibits all physical and mental violence, including bullying, and requires fair discipline, enforceable codes of conduct and safe school environments.

She says consistent parenting and secure attachment help children develop empathy, emotional control and respect for others, making them far less likely to bully.

“When they are dismissed, children may feel unsafe sharing their experiences, leading to withdrawal, silence or emotional distress,” Bohn says.

Additional measures include life skills education, counselling and psychosocial support, including mandatory reporting and accountability for serious incidents.

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