Duineveld High School committed to work with Education Dept following viral racial video
The Duineveld High School in the Northern Cape has committed to working with the Department of Education during the disciplinary hearings of four learners and ongoing educational programmes of rehabilitation and national identity of the school.
The Northern Cape Member of the Executive Committee (MEC) for Education, Abraham Vosloo visited the Duineveld High School to engage with the School Management Team and School Governing Body on the racial TikTok video, which emerged last week and involved four learners from the school.
The Northern Cape Department of Education suspended the four pupils after they were seen in the video using the K-word a number of times.
The teenagers were directing the racist remarks towards a TikTok content creator known as @UncleSeeno during a live TikTok chat.
The video has since gone viral.
Spokesperson for the provincial education department, Geoffrey van der Merwe, says it was important to establish the facts around the incident and collectively agree on a way forward to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.
This is in line with the pending outcome of their disciplinary hearing on Tuesday next week.
"The Department has partnered with the South African Human Rights Commission and the National Prosecuting Authority to workshop the learners of Duineveld High School on their rights and responsibilities, the use of social media and accountability", says Van der Merwe.
"Duineveld High School is also busy engaging a social media expert for an open dialogue with learners on the dangers of social media.
"A management plan will be develop for the Duineveld High School to prevent similar future incidents."
Van der Merwe adds that the incident served as a wake-up call to institute constructive programmes and interventions in schools, that seek to address racial undertones, racial tolerance and racism in schools.
"The Department is working with the Duineveld High School to ensure the successful implementation of these programmes as from October 2024.
"The Department is satisfied with the manner in which the Duineveld High School has dealt with this matter and we can assure the public that they have acted in accordance with prescribed legislation and the school’s code of conduct.
"The Department will monitor the progress of this case closely and provide the necessary support to the Duineveld High School."
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