Vodacom partners with the Department of Basic Education

So far, ten professionals have been placed in KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces, with effect from the 2021 academic year.

South Africa is grappling with the rising cases of gender-based violence, which was also declared by President Ramaphosa in 2020 as the second pandemic to Covid-19, says Vodacom.

In recent weeks, the DBE has condemned rising cases of bullying in schools after the death by suicide of a learner in a Limpopo school in April 2021. A video went viral showing the learner being assaulted in the school premises by a fellow teenage learner in full view of peer bystanders, highlights the provider.

"As a caring company that is committed to addressing societal challenges, Vodacom continues to collaborate with the public sector and non-government organisations to find long-lasting solutions to deal with some of the socio-economic problems affecting women and children," says Takalani Netshitenzhe, director of external affairs in the Vodacom Group.

"In South Africa, school violence is arguably a national crisis and measures, such as this initiative with the DBE, will also provide support to communities, including both the victims and perpetrators of gender-based violence. The programme will address various aspects of gender-based violence including bullying and peer bystanders, with the ultimate aim to promote harmony and mutual respect between learners and between learners and educators, including the root causes," adds Netshitenzhe.

In a national school violence study conducted by the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention in co-operation with the DBE, 22% of high school learners experienced violence. This encompasses psychological and verbal abuse, robbery, physical assault, gang violence, sexual violence and bullying. Most of these encounters were targeted at females.

Trained by the University of Stellenbosch, the psycho-social professionals are a critical resource that will promote a safe and positive school climate, provide support to educators and learners and encourage student participation and empowerment to reduce school violence. Although they will be based at the SoEs, they will also serve some of the surrounding schools in each district, according to Vodacom.

"The consequences of school violence go beyond the direct and indirect impact to the victim. Violence-free schools also have the potential to initiate social cohesion in troubled communities, prevent gender discrimination and contribute to national development as safe, inclusive education improves lives now and in the future," concludes Netshitenzhe.

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