Teacher’s viral safety song wins education ministry support
• Teacher’s viral song on body safety applauded
Both the education ministry and the educator agree that the debate sparked by her viral song has had a positive effect: keeping the spotlight on raising children who are informed, confident, and safe.
George DinyandoWindhoek
A Namibian teacher’s classroom song promoting awareness of personal safety and boundaries among learners has captured global attention, sparking both praise and debate after a video of the lesson went viral with more than 90 million views on TikTok.
In the video, Gelda Waterboer, a Grade 1 teacher at Rogate Primary School in Otjiwarongo, teaches her young learners the lyrics: “These are my private parts, no one should touch them.”
While some described the method as unconventional, others praised it as a groundbreaking approach to empowering children against abuse – including Namibia’s deputy education minister Dino Ballotti.
Ballotti expressed strong support for the initiative, noting that it aligns with Namibia’s legal and educational frameworks for child protection.
“At its core, the message is aligned with our national commitment to child protection. The Child Care and Protection Act affirms every child’s right to safety, dignity and bodily integrity. In that light, we commend the teacher’s intent to empower learners with age-appropriate knowledge that can prevent abuse,” he told Namibian Sun this week.
The deputy minister further noted that the Namibian life skills curriculum already addresses HIV prevention, gender-based violence, sexual health and decision-making.
He said teaching children to name their private parts and set boundaries is “foundational” to helping them resist coercion, recognise inappropriate behaviour and prevent and report abuse.
While acknowledging that “the delivery style in the video may require refinement for broader classroom use,” Ballotti affirmed that “the pedagogical goal is not only appropriate, it is essential.”
Putting words to safety
For her part, Waterboer this week said the song was inspired by her daily experience with young learners who often lack the language or confidence to speak out when something feels wrong.
“I realised that many children are not always equipped with the language or confidence to speak up. The song was my way of giving them a simple, memorable tool to protect themselves and know their boundaries,” she explained.
“My inspiration comes from wanting every child to feel safe, valued and empowered to say ‘no’ when necessary,” she underlined.
Waterboer urged parents to have open conversations with their children, even in everyday settings like bath time or story time.
“Do not shy away from these conversations. The earlier we start, the safer our children will be,” she stressed.
Waterboer’s message to learners and the community was clear: “Your body belongs to you. You have the right to say ‘no’ and to tell a trusted adult if anyone makes you uncomfortable. Child protection is everyone’s responsibility.”
Ballotti added that Namibia’s safeguarding structures, such as the Basic Education Act, the Child Care and Protection Act and the National Safe Schools Framework, work hand-in-hand with recent initiatives like Unicef-supported counsellor training and the global Safe to Learn tool to make schools safer and more responsive.
A Namibian teacher’s classroom song promoting awareness of personal safety and boundaries among learners has captured global attention, sparking both praise and debate after a video of the lesson went viral with more than 90 million views on TikTok.
In the video, Gelda Waterboer, a Grade 1 teacher at Rogate Primary School in Otjiwarongo, teaches her young learners the lyrics: “These are my private parts, no one should touch them.”
While some described the method as unconventional, others praised it as a groundbreaking approach to empowering children against abuse – including Namibia’s deputy education minister Dino Ballotti.
Ballotti expressed strong support for the initiative, noting that it aligns with Namibia’s legal and educational frameworks for child protection.
“At its core, the message is aligned with our national commitment to child protection. The Child Care and Protection Act affirms every child’s right to safety, dignity and bodily integrity. In that light, we commend the teacher’s intent to empower learners with age-appropriate knowledge that can prevent abuse,” he told Namibian Sun this week.
The deputy minister further noted that the Namibian life skills curriculum already addresses HIV prevention, gender-based violence, sexual health and decision-making.
He said teaching children to name their private parts and set boundaries is “foundational” to helping them resist coercion, recognise inappropriate behaviour and prevent and report abuse.
While acknowledging that “the delivery style in the video may require refinement for broader classroom use,” Ballotti affirmed that “the pedagogical goal is not only appropriate, it is essential.”
Putting words to safety
For her part, Waterboer this week said the song was inspired by her daily experience with young learners who often lack the language or confidence to speak out when something feels wrong.
“I realised that many children are not always equipped with the language or confidence to speak up. The song was my way of giving them a simple, memorable tool to protect themselves and know their boundaries,” she explained.
“My inspiration comes from wanting every child to feel safe, valued and empowered to say ‘no’ when necessary,” she underlined.
Waterboer urged parents to have open conversations with their children, even in everyday settings like bath time or story time.
“Do not shy away from these conversations. The earlier we start, the safer our children will be,” she stressed.
Waterboer’s message to learners and the community was clear: “Your body belongs to you. You have the right to say ‘no’ and to tell a trusted adult if anyone makes you uncomfortable. Child protection is everyone’s responsibility.”
Ballotti added that Namibia’s safeguarding structures, such as the Basic Education Act, the Child Care and Protection Act and the National Safe Schools Framework, work hand-in-hand with recent initiatives like Unicef-supported counsellor training and the global Safe to Learn tool to make schools safer and more responsive.
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