Times Of Swaziland: BULLIED PUPIL (12)  COMMITS SUICIDE

BULLIED PUPIL (12)  COMMITS SUICIDE
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Joseph Zulu on 06/07/2024 07:35:00


MBABANE – A 12-year-old boy opted to end his life after being tormented by
bullies at his school.
The boy was a pupil at a primary school near Pigg’s Peak. He allegedly took
his own life last Sunday after enduring relentless bullying by peers and also
allegedly by an official at the school. The incident, according to some
residents living near the school, highlighted the devastating impact that
bullying can have on young lives. According to information gathered by Eswatini
News, the boy hanged himself in the family kitchen while his siblings were
watching television. His father, *Jack, confirmed the incident, saying he was
left devastated and in shock. Jack shared that his son did not leave any note or
message with anyone though he is said to have been troubled.
Jack revealed that the boy had simply told his siblings he was going to the
toilet, but was later discovered hanging in the kitchen. He is said to have got
onto a stove and then hung himself by the rafters.  The deceased’s father said
he blamed the bullying that his son had endured. When recounting the events
leading up to the tragedy, Jack revealed that the bullying began when a teacher
referred to his son as a ‘dwarf chicken’ during a lesson. The teacher’s
comparison, which likened the boy’s short stature to that of a dwarf chicken,
became a nickname that quickly spread among his classmates. Within a few days,
even children in other classes are said to have began to refer to his son boy as
a dwarf.
Jack revealed that his son reported the matter to him as the nickname was
embarrassing for him. “I then decided to approach the school’s authority so
that we could resolve it,” said Jack. He said when he spoke to an official at
the school, they apologised and assured him that the teacher would also be
informed about the complaint. He then said he asked if he could be allowed to
see the teacher, but was told that this could not be possible.
Teacher
Jack said his son’s teacher later informed other pupils to stop referring to
the deceased as a ‘dwarf’. Despite the school’s apology and instructions
for the pupils to stop using the term, the bullying continued unabated. Jack
explained that the torment took a severe toll on his son’s mental well-being.
In addition to being called names, the boy was also humiliated when a school
official publicly mentioned that his fare for a school trip had not been paid.
It was gathered that school trips cost as much as E800. The deceased’s father
also confirmed that the school trip fare had not been paid. He also revealed
that in addition to his son’s fare not having been paid, there were other two
children at his home who were also in the same predicament.
Noteworthy, school trips are a common occurrence during this time of the year,
with students eagerly looking forward to visit is various destinations.  One of
the most popular destinations for school trips is Durban, South Africa, where
pupils get a chance to visit theme parks and other attractions. However, for
families struggling to make ends meet, the financial burden of paying for such
trips can be devastating. The boy’s death has prompted an outpouring of grief
and anger from the community, with some parents calling for the authorities of
the school to look into bullying at the school.
Also, a guardian expressed concern about bullying at the school, not only by
pupils but also teachers. She alleged that as a result of the bullying, she was
forced to remove her dependent from the school and had to enrol him in another
school within the Pigg’s Peak area. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Police
Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni
confirmed the death of the 12-year-old who is alleged to have committed suicide.
Mnguni did not give the details of what led to the suicide.
Apology
Meanwhile, the head teacher of the school, when reached for comment stated that
he had met with the pupil’s father after he approached the school. The head
teacher said the matter was deliberated and that an apology was made to the
parent. He said  this was also communicated to the teacher whom the parent was
aggrieved with. However, the head teacher disputed allegations by some parents
that there was a lot of bullying at the school. He said he was not aware of any
incident of bullying , and that other than the parent of the pupil who had
reported recently approached the school, none was reported.
*Not real name to protect family’s dignity.