Student violence

The past few weeks has seen videos going viral on social media of learners perpetrating violence in school against their teachers or fellow classmates. In September alone, a North West high school pupil stabbed and killed his teacher for allegedly refusing him a plate of food and in a separate incident four pupils manhandled a teacher in a Soweto school. Today we ask the question why we are seeing the rise of violence in our schools. Is it poor security? Is it upbringing and background – what is causing our schools to become more and more unsafe? To help us unpack the discussion for the day, we are joined by: • Dr Siphiwe Mthiyane is a senior lecturer at the Wits School Education.• Prof Nuraan Davids is an Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education and the Faculty of Education at Stellenbosch University Troy Martens is the spokesperson and Media Liaison Officer for the Minister of Basic Education.•Troy Martens is the spokesperson and media liaison Officer for the Minster of Basic Education.•Basil Manuel is the Executive Director at the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation, NAPTOSA