Free State education step up to fight racism, bullying and sexism

Free State Finance MEC Tate Makgoe. Pic Supplied

Free State Finance MEC Tate Makgoe. Pic Supplied

Published Mar 15, 2022

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Free State Department of Education MEC, Tate Makgoe, will on Tuesday launch a new vigorous “No Racism, Bullying, Sexism and anti-social behaviour” campaign.

According to the department, this campaign will first target former Model C schools in the province following multiple incidents of racism, assault and bullying, which were reported to the department in the Lejweleputswa District.

The department will first give attention to Wessels Maree Secondary School, Dagbreek Primary School and Bothaville Hoerskool. Wessels Maree Secondary School has recently received attention after a video of a teacher violently pushing a 14-year-old Grade 8 pupil in class went viral on social media.

"Together with our stakeholders, which include school management teams, School Governing Bodies, South African Police Services, Department of Social Development and Department of Health. We want to use this campaign to eradicate the scourge of subliminal and blatant racism, sexism, vandalism, assault, corporal punishment , sexual harassment, alcohol and drug abuse as these anti social behaviours disrupt learning and teaching in our schools," Makgoe said.

Following the learning loss incurred as the result of the Covid-19, the department will also use this campaign to implore learners to come to school every day and not drop out from schools.

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