The article “School violence taking its toll,” and “Chatsworth boys, 8 and 9, gang-raped in school toilets” The Mercury, Thursday, 06 August 2015 refers.

Both articles reveal a very disturbing situation of violence in our schools and, particularly in Kwazulu-Natal, where incidences of violence are higher compared to other provinces.

While South Africa has captured the attention of the world due to its transition from a repressive unequal disposition to a peaceful democracy, sadly our education system and schooling environment is failing our children when 22% of pupils in South Africa are exposed to violence, etc.

Notwithstanding societal issues parents play the primary role in the education, stability, disciplinary and good moral upbringing of their children.

However, they entrust and have faith in the government, education departments, school authorities, teaching staff, etc., to follow through with good academic education, discipline and absolute safety and security of their children.

Without doubt social media has impacted negatively on the education landscape and has made it ‘sophisticated and complex’ to an extent that children are desensitised or have a ‘low level of empathy’ of their surrounding circumstances.

Our children are our future and all parties need to be proactive in a holistic approach for the academic education, discipline, good moral upbringing and, of course, violent free schools for our children.

Thursday, 06 August 2015

SENT TO: The Mercury

Darul Ihsan Media Desk

*PUBLISHED: The Mercury - Friday, 07 August 2015