Shocking evidence has emerged of high school learners being forced to eat out of buckets with their hands as a result of a shortage of bowls at the Boresetse High School in Barkly West.
The inhumane treatment of learners at the school came to light during a visit by Childline in the Northern Cape to the school recently.
Naomi Dube, director of Childline, said that the boys in the school carried the buckets around and ultimately determined how much food everyone was allowed to get.
“According to the older learners, this system has been in operation for the past five years already.”
Dube also questioned whether the food provided was sufficient and whether everyone benefitted from the scheme.
She explained that volunteers prepared the food but it was left up to the learners to sort themselves out in terms of receiving it.
“The situation is disturbing and unacceptable. There is also a heavy sewage stench hanging over the area.”
Dube pointed out that during Childline’s visit to the school, counsellors also found evidence that corporal punishment was still being practiced and some teachers verbally abused learners by referring to them as “panties”.
“Gender-based bullying from peers is common and according to learners there is a room (A9), which all the learners are afraid of. This the room where teachers allegedly physically challenge the children.”
She added that on both days of the organisation’s visit to the school, the children received food in metal buckets and had to dish up for themselves.
“Childline’s stance is that this is a gross infringement of basic constitutional, human and children rights.
“Several rights, such as the right to be treated with dignity, are clearly absent in this situation. The right to a clean and safe environment is also non-existent.
“The children’s rights to care are in direct contradiction with the notion of schools as Nodes of Care, which the Department of Education’s school safety directorate seeks to promote.”
She added that the problems encountered could not be raised with either the teachers or the principal himself. “He had an attitude towards our counsellors and blatantly refused to engage in any sort of conversation with us.”
According to Dube, members of the learners’ representative council at the school said that several issues had been raised with the principal, but nothing had been done regarding the concerns of the learners.
“We have made several recommendations to the Department of Education aimed at improving the learning capacity through life skills programmes and sessions with occupational therapists.”
Other recommendations include supporting school food gardens and promoting healthy lifestyles amongst learners through sports and proper maintenance of the school garden.
Spokesman of the Department of Social Development, Tebogo Mokae, yesterday said that a social worker would conduct an investigation today to assess the situation and compile a report.
“District staff members are currently in an operational planning session,” Mokae said. He added, however, that the Department of Social Development was not responsible for school feeding schemes and for providing utensils.
“However, the need will be determined and support provided if possible.”
Spokesperson of the Department of Education Sydney Stander, said yesterday the department will investigate the claims.
“The National School Nutrition Programme (NSPN) in schools is government’s clear policy guidelines as it relates to menu and conditions under which food must be prepared. These requirements are strictly monitored by the district school nutrition team to enforce compliance.
“The NSPN entails prescribed menus depending on the season.”
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