UPDATE: DA reacts to New Forest bullying
"Too often, because of fear of victimisation and more bullying, learners do not go forward," said DA KZN spokesperson for Education, Dr Imran Keeka.
FOLLOWING reports of a bullied New Forest High School learner who was severely beaten at school, the Democratic Alliance’s provincial spokesperson for education, Dr Imran Keeka, has condemned the incident in the strongest terms.
Speaking to the SUN, Dr Keeka, said bullying under any circumstance or any type must not be tolerated in any school. “This incident and any other must be strongly condemned. Too often, because of fear of victimisation and more bullying, learners do not go forward (to report the bullying),” he said.
Also read: Stop bullying or being bullied
He said that not reporting bullies or bullying incidents can have dire consequences, some as serious as fatalities. “There are cases upon cases where learners have even committed suicide as a result of either direct, indirect bullying and or cyberbullying. The school needs to determine the extent of bullying on its premises and must apply known methods to halt this evil terror, otherwise, there will be more victims,” Dr Keeka said.
He added that his task is to now forward parliamentary questions to the provincial MEC for education, Kwazi Mshengu, and expects the response to be detailed in the steps the department has taken so far. He said that as the custodian of education in the province, Mshengu can not just fob off issues such as these when they are raised with him.
A response from the KZN SAPS was not available at the time of publication.
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