The North West Department of Education in South Africa has said that it is awaiting postmortem results to determine the cause of death of a Grade 10 pupil from Huhudi Secondary School, who collapsed and died last Friday after allegedly being forced to run as punishment for arriving late to class.
The department confirmed receiving an incident report indicating the pupil required immediate medical attention. A teacher transported her to a clinic after reports that an ambulance had been delayed.
“In terms of support, a team of psychologists has been dispatched to the family and the school to provide emotional and psychological assistance to those close to the learner, as this is the first incident of its kind in the school’s history,” said departmental spokesperson Mphata Molokwane.
Molokwane said the school principal is on sick leave, and any disciplinary action will only be considered after ...mortem is completed. He added that no additional information would be released without the family’s consent.
Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said the incident reflected a serious failure in the duty of care owed to children in the education system.
“Schools are meant to be safe spaces where learners can thrive. Disciplinary practices that endanger learners’ health or dignity have no place in a democratic society which is guided by the constitution and child protection laws. This learner’s death could have been prevented. We demand full accountability from the teacher involved, along with the school’s leadership and the provincial department of education,” Makaneta said.
He called for an immediate investigation, adding: “This tragic loss should serve as a wake-up call that no child should die at school because of outdated disciplinary measures.”
The department urged teachers to avoid using physical exercise as a form of punishment, warning that it could be considered corporal punishment.
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“While physical activity is generally beneficial, employing it as a consequence for misbehaviour may negatively influence a child’s attitude towards exercise and could create an adverse learning environment,” Molokwane said.
He added that schools should focus on positive behaviour management strategies that build a healthy relationship with physical activity and foster a constructive learning environment.