Parents should take more responsibility for the violent behavior of their children while at school.
This is according to Clinical Psychologist Dr. Jan Chavalala; who believes that both educators and parents have key roles to play in reinforcing good behavior in children.
Chavalala was reacting to the recent spike in violent attacks involving learners; some of which have turned fatal.
Earlier this week, a learner at Forest High School in the south of Johannesburg was stabbed to death in what is believed to be gang-related violence.
Chavalala says: “I think the parents of the learners as well as the Department of Education should share the burden in terms of parents teaching their children that the school is a place for learning and not for revenge. As parents, we need to encourage our children to go to school to learn and not to engage in other activities other than learning. So security should be stepped-up and parents should step up their parenting skills in terms of encouraging their children to learn and discouraging their children from joining gangs and becoming gangsters and criminals.”
Last year, 19-year-old Khulani Mathebula was fatally stabbed in the chest while he was walking to Mondeor High School in Johannesburg.
The deceased was attacked and stabbed to death by three other learners from a nearby school.