KZN Education Department seeks advice on ancestral calling incidents, cultural practices in schools

Hysteria, where pupils break down screaming, the wearing of beads and refusal by pupils to cut their hair for religious or ancestral beliefs are some of the issues schools are grappling with.

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Published Aug 2, 2022

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The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is battling to deal with incidents of ancestral calling among pupils at its schools and has enlisted the assistance of cultural and religious experts to help it chart a way forward.

Hysteria, where pupils break down screaming, the wearing of beads and refusal by pupils to cut their hair for religious or ancestral beliefs are some of the issues schools are grappling with.

The department said it had been forced to act as these incidents were happening with alarming regularity.

The department has issued a notice calling for a one-day indaba to be held in September where cultural and religious experts will make presentations.

An advert calling for submissions of “abstracts on ancestral calling in schools – exploring ways to deal with the impact of ancestral calling on teaching and learning in schools”, said the areas to be explored included co-existence of culture and faith, the impact of ukuthwala (abduction of young girls for forced marriage), initiation in schools, colonial heritage and the appropriation of Western thinking.

Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: “Policy formulations emerge from problems, and we (the department) are saying we have a problem here, and as pupils do not find such issues in schools, they come with them from society, we are calling on society to engage with us.”

Thirona Moodley of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said the phenomenon of ancestral calling had impacted on schooling in the province.

“Our schools are multicultural environments and it’s important that the pupils and teachers understand what the ancestral calling is and how to deal with it. Currently, teaching time is lost and teachers feel helpless.

“If research is going to assist in how we understand this, Naptosa will welcome such,” she said.

National Teachers’ Union’s (Natu) Sibusiso Malinga said it was important that there was engagement on these issues, “but the point of departure for all those that would be engaging is that they should keep in mind that by law every child must be in school and their education should not be disrupted”.

Malinga said it was important for the parents to also engage with the schools when their children showed signs of ancestral calling.

SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza also welcomed the engagement and hoped it would provide a learning opportunity for schools.

“We have noticed that when there are such matters, each school reacts differently – one school could be tolerant and another could be dismissive, depending on what that school believes in. It is not just the pupils that get affected by this, the teachers sometimes get affected too. They have a calling but there is no leave provision to go to initiation schools and sometimes they are forced to resign,” she said.

DA spokesperson on Education Dr Imran Keeka said religious and cultural rights must be respected within the confines of the law and the Bill of Rights.

“Parents, pupils, school governing bodies, senior management in schools, practitioners, and experts in the field must all be engaged.”

IFP education portfolio committee member Thembeni KaMadlopha Mthethwa said it was good that this was being addressed.

“There have been instances where we hear that a child has been expelled or has killed himself or herself because they were not allowed to pursue their calling.”

However, cultural expert Dr Bhedlindaba “VVO” Mkhize said an indaba was a waste of money and time.

He said the solution to this matter was educating the public and the pupils and all other stakeholders about culture.

“For instance, if a child has an ancestral calling and is still in school, the child’s family will plead with the ancestors and offer a goat to the ancestors, and ask them to allow the child to finish school.

“If the ancestors do not accede to the request, only then the child leaves the school and goes where they have been directed to by their ancestors.

“And if a child is found to have ancestral calling, the parents, the teachers, the school governing body should come together and find a solution,” he said.

“Research needs to be done to determine if all these children that become hysterical in schools No character style: have an ancestral calling.

“Part of the problem is that many of these children are victims of the muthi that is being used by their teachers. Parents should take the child to a reputable traditional healer who will educate the parents on how to appease the ancestors for them to let the child stay in school.”

THE MERCURY