Stefanus Nashama
The family of the late Christopher Boois, an 11-year-old learner at Kronlein Primary School has been left in shock after he committed suicide on 15 June 2023 by hanging himself at home after he was reportedly bullied at school.
According to the family Spokesperson, Wilhelmina Goeieman, the boy, who was in Grade 5, took his own life after bullies tore up his report card and his shirt which he went to fetch.
Boois was allegedly attacked by a group of boys who wore masks. He told a family member that some of the boys were older than him but that he did not recognise any of them because of the masks.
He ran home after the attack and reported the matter to his niece.
According to the spokesperson, Boois and his niece went back to school to report the attack to the school principal.
“The principal still wanted to know what happened at the school grounds but later said that he was unable to take any action because the matter was never reported to him or any of his staff members,” she said.
The spokesperson said that the boy and his niece went back home and that he locked himself in the toilet. His body was discovered in the toilet after family members got no reaction from the boy after they knocked on the door repeatedly.
She stated that bullying is almost in all schools in the !KarasRegion and demanded that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture and parents should stand up and do something to ensure that bullying was stopped in schools.
“We, as a family are very shocked by this incident. We were not expecting something of this nature to happen. We are very hurt by the death and it left us all in tears,” she said.
She was of the opinion that bullying is similar to murdering someone.
Melody Swartbooi, a member of the Landless People’s Movement’s youth league, issued a statement on Monday in which the movement expressed disappointment in the principal and the education ministry.
Swartbooi said the Keetmanshoop community is broken, shaken and still in disbelief that an 11-year-old boy went to the extreme of taking his own life.
“As a community, we often overlook the effects bullying has on our kids and the dangers our kids are exposed to. Bullying at school is becoming out of hand and our Education system and Ministry are failing our kids,” she said.
The suicide rate among men and boys in Namibia is increasing. Each year the numbers are higher than the year before because more young people are committing suicide.
“We need all relevant stakeholders to act. Not only the community but also the schools and the ministry,” she stated.
Swartbooi said that bullying in school is a factor that leads to psychological issues such as depression and anxiety which eventually result in suicide among learners.
“We will change the mindsets of our youngsters. The socio-economic background of students matters and a reformed Life Skill class can assist in ensuring that these factors are mitigated. Some Learners come from violent backgrounds which leads them to take out their frustrations on their fellow learners, teachers, and peers, if we do not intervene,” she stressed.
She said the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture needs to take action against the principal who did not take the matter seriously.
“This should serve as a realization that teachers and principals should take bullying seriously. As a principal, it was his duty to act on this matter immediately, he could have involved the Police, spoken with the bullies, and ensured the victim was okay instead this child was left on his own after going through so much humiliation,” she said.
She called on the Minister of Education, Arts and Culture to implement a plan that focuses on the mental health of boys and girls in every school that must include and prioritise counselling.
