Education

My department has informed me of the following:
(1) (a) (i) All public schools are required, in terms of the South African Schools Act, to have a Code of Conduct for learners that addresses bullying, learner behaviour and disciplinary processes.
In addition to these statutory requirements, we are aware that many schools have also developed supplementary anti-bullying policies, guidelines or prevention programmes that are incorporated into their Codes of Conduct or School Safety Plans. These additional measures vary by school and may include more detailed bullying-prevention procedures, reporting mechanisms, awareness campaigns, and support structures for affected learners.
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(ii) Schools have reported a number of programmes and approaches that they regard as particularly effective in addressing bullying. These include:
o Restorative discipline and mediation programmes, which focus on resolving conflict, rebuilding relationships and encouraging accountability between learners.
o Peer support and peer-mediation initiatives, where trained learners assist in identifying, reporting and defusing bullying-related incidents.
o Safe Schools holiday and after-school programmes that emphasise respect, constructive behaviour and positive social interaction.
o School-based psychosocial support services, including counselling, early intervention and referrals facilitated through district-based support teams.
o Whole-school safety programmes, designed to create a positive school climate and promote consistent behavioural expectations across the school community.
(b) According to incidents reported through the WCED Safe Schools Call Centre:
(i) 149
(ii) 23 (January 2026 and February 2026)
(c) Cases reported refer to physical, verbal, cyber and psychological bullying.
(2) While the impact of anti-bullying initiatives varies across the system, district monitoring has shown that the most measurable success occurs in schools where these initiatives are integrated into a broader, whole-school approach to safety and learner wellbeing.
Positive results are most evident in schools that:
o actively use safety committees and involve staff, learners and parents in ongoing prevention work;
o have strong learner leadership structures, such as prefects or peer-support teams trained to identify and respond to early signs of bullying;
o run regular awareness and prevention programmes, including campaigns on respectful behaviour, digital safety and conflict resolution; and
o maintain reliable reporting and follow-up systems, enabling early intervention in emerging cases.
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District Safe Schools teams report that in such schools, bullying incidents tend to decline over time, and cases are resolved more quickly due to clear processes and proactive support structures. They also note that improvements are most sustained in schools where learner support programmes – including counselling, referrals and restorative interventions – are well integrated into day-to-day school practice.
Although the specific schools demonstrating these gains vary across districts, the common trend is that success is linked to consistent, coordinated implementation rather than to a single programme or location.
(3) The WCED provides a range of support to assist schools in implementing anti-bullying policies and creating safe, supportive learning environments. This includes:
o Guidelines and policy frameworks: Schools are provided with provincial and national guidance on developing Codes of Conduct, School Safety Plans and anti-bullying procedures.
o Training and capacity-building: The WCED conducts regular training sessions and workshops for principals, educators, school governing bodies and learner leaders on bullying prevention, behaviour management and restorative practices.
o Psychosocial support services: District-based psychologists, social workers and support teams offer counselling, early intervention, case management and referrals for learners affected by bullying or at risk.
o Awareness and prevention campaigns: Schools are supported through annual anti-bullying awareness activities, digital-citizenship programmes and behaviour-change initiatives coordinated by the Safe Schools Programme.
o Learner development programmes: The WCED funds and facilitates programmes that promote respect, conflict-resolution skills, emotional literacy and positive behaviour among learners.
o Collaboration with community partners: The WCED works with local law-enforcement agencies, community safety structures and NGOs to strengthen school safety and ensure coordinated responses to bullying and related risks.
In addition, schools are regularly reminded that all incidents of crime and violence, including bullying, must be reported to the Safe Schools Call Centre, District Safe Schools Coordinators and school social workers to ensure that appropriate intervention and support can be activated promptly.
(4) The WCED has identified several challenges in ensuring that all schools implement and sustain effective anti-bullying measures. These include:
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o Underreporting by schools, often driven by concerns about reputational harm or fears that reporting may reflect negatively on their performance.
o Underreporting by learners, who may fear retaliation, social stigma or not being taken seriously when raising concerns.
o Resource and capacity constraints in some schools, which make it difficult to maintain ongoing prevention, awareness and monitoring programmes.
o The rise of cyberbullying, which frequently occurs outside the school environment, making it more difficult for schools to detect, monitor and intervene.
To address these challenges, the WCED is implementing a range of targeted measures, including:
o Strengthening awareness and reporting processes through the Safe Schools Programme, including promoting use of the Safe Schools Call Centre and improving reporting channels within schools.
o Providing additional training and guidance to school leadership, educators and governing bodies on bullying prevention, early identification, restorative responses and case management.
o Expanding psychosocial support services by increasing access to district-based psychologists, social workers and support teams who assist schools with assessment, counselling and follow-up.
o Promoting whole-school safety approaches, ensuring that learners, staff, parents and community partners are actively involved in creating safe, supportive environments and responding collectively to incidents.
These interventions aim to ensure that anti-bullying measures are consistently implemented across all schools and that learners receive timely support and protection.