Schools battle online bullying
A new trend in public vulgarity, cyberbullying, character assassination, and online harassment is growing among school learners in Namibia and is a cause for grave concern.
Online accounts are being created on social media platforms such as Instagram through which learners “confess” their secrets, anonymously.
The “confessional” accounts also give one the power - through their anonymity - to share a secret about someone else - even if it is untrue.
Some of the “confessions” include learners claiming to have had oral sex with a teacher, being in love with their teacher, mentioning incestuous acts between siblings while on a camping trip, while other posts are targeted at specific learners by name using crude and insulting name-calling.
A site known as qoou.me has several of these anonymous accounts that are linked to learners.
Namibian Sun found at least five accounts which have recently been used are linked to prominent schools in Windhoek.
These accounts are then connected to an Instagram account.
The accounts which Namibian Sun found through a search on both Instagram and the qoou.me site, include Nam_Confessions 101, Whk_Confessions and whkgym_Confessions.
While the Instagram accounts are marked as private and only followers are able to enter, the accounts on the qoou.me site can be opened by anyone. The Nam_Confessions account specifically makes mention of Windhoek Gymnasium Private School, Windhoek High School and Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP).
Sources also say that WAP learners are apparently also organising “rainbow parties”. Some learners confessed what they did at the parties, on these accounts.
These parties are said to include oral sex with multiple partners, both male and female.
According to the creator of the Nam_Confessions account, the page was reported and closed, but reopened again.
'Many problems'
A department head at WAP, Abie van Wyk, told Namibian Sun that they are aware of these accounts that learners are using anonymously.
“We have had many problems with them and so have other schools. Learners are able to say anything they want and we do not know if there is any truth to it or where it is coming from,” he said.
According to him, the school learned about the accounts through learners complaining about what others were saying online.
“It is very concerning that someone can just say anything on social media without being held accountable.”
He said these of anonymous accounts have been around for some time. “We have urged learners not to get involved in these types of activities and warned them about the dangers and how it can ruin lives.”
Van Wyk said currently, it appears there is no solution to stop these accounts and the following they attract.
“Our laws are not on that level. We have had similar problems with Facebook in the past, but were unable to do much about it,” Van Wyk added.
Difficult
Meanwhile, Ombudsman John Walters told Namibian Sun that he can also not say how this issue can be addressed.
Walters, however, made it clear that parents should take responsibility.
“This is just another example of how people are using technology to abuse others. This practice must stop,” said Walters.
He pointed out that a person's life can be ruined by making false accusations online. He said a good example is the MiWay saga recently reported in South Africa where two employees received hate mail and death threats for a fake “racist” email that went viral on social media, but was actually written by an angry client.
Walters said education at home and school is therefore very important to teach children to be tolerant towards others and respect each other's rights.
“The call must be on children themselves and parents, as well as those that know about these accounts, to report them and not take part.”
First Lady Monica Geingos during the state of education address recently also expressed her concern about the use of social media platforms by learners and cyberbullying.
She said she is aware of these confidential accounts in which schools are named.
“Young people are sharing their darkest secrets and protect their own identity, but not that of another child.”
She said that “if a learner for instance did drugs over the weekend the person would post, 'Sandra and I did drugs'. Now you can imagine the anxiety of Sandra – it's a form of bullying.”
Institute for Public Policy Research researcher Frederico Links, said that this remains a grey area.
“If the site is for instance based in the US to shut down the page or take legal action there will be jurisdictional issues to take into account, to apply to have content or the page removed. You will have to approach the US courts.”
He pointed out that the issue of who will be held accountable remains problematic as the postings are anonymous.
According to Links, Namibia has no law in place at the moment that deals with cyberbullying or online harassment.
“You can be found guilty for comments that you make on social media, but how do you make a case against an anonymous person. Who do you turn to in Namibia? All authorities are struggling with this,” Links said.
He said the proposed Electronic Transaction and Cybercrime Act is attempting to deal with online harassment as well.
However, he warns that care must also be taken in terms of this regulation not to clamp down on freedom of expression.
“If somebody finds something offensive, is it really harassment or defamatory, or is it only offensive to you. It is very easy to claim harassment and therefore we have to be clear what we are regulating.”
The spokesperson of the education ministry, Johanna Absalom, said the ministry is aware of these types of social media sites where cyberbullying is taking place as well as other bullying by learners.
“The ministry investigates cases once a report or a complaint has been made. Therefore, we encourage all learners and all citizens under the services and within our mandate to come forward.”
According to Absalom, access to social media and information is a choice of each individual.
“Therefore, it is not against the law to open a social media account and the ministry cannot close these accounts or prohibit learners from opening them. Schools may choose to look at their current code of conduct to see the provisions around violence and bullying in schools for both learners and teachers. This would guide them on steps that can be taken.”
The ministry is also working with various stakeholders to develop a website for Child Online Protection (COP), which the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) is currently busy developing.
In addition, the ministry is also busy developing the National Safe School Framework, which will guide schools on how to prevent violence in schools, including online violence.
The ministry said it realises the challenges associated with the social media and is taking steps to include COP and also online etiquette in the revision of the Life Skills curriculum.
It will also look at supplementing other curricula.
Absalom also said the ministry generally believes bullying indicates an underlying behavioural problem by the learner and therefore schools have a Life Skills teacher and every region has a regional school counsellor to assist the life skills teacher to deal with such behavioural challenges.
“These behavioural issues may often spring from personal issues that the learner is facing at home or in the community.”
Engaging bullies
Absalom said instances of bullying should be identified as early as possible, they must be prevented and when they occur there should be proper support for the child who was bullied and the bully.
“It is important for the ministry that parents also get involved in order to positively influence the behaviour of the bully and to support the child who was bullied. Bullying at schools, if left undetected and not addressed, can lead to depression in children, poor academic performance and school drop-outs,” Absalom added.
The ministry said with the development of the National Safe Schools Framework, schools will be guided on developing internal regulations around violence and bullying, which would include responses to cyberbullying.
Both the director of Windhoek Gymnasium, Fanie van Zyl, and the school's managing director, Colette Rieckert, said they were not aware of the cyberbullying websites.
ELLANIE SMIT
Online accounts are being created on social media platforms such as Instagram through which learners “confess” their secrets, anonymously.
The “confessional” accounts also give one the power - through their anonymity - to share a secret about someone else - even if it is untrue.
Some of the “confessions” include learners claiming to have had oral sex with a teacher, being in love with their teacher, mentioning incestuous acts between siblings while on a camping trip, while other posts are targeted at specific learners by name using crude and insulting name-calling.
A site known as qoou.me has several of these anonymous accounts that are linked to learners.
Namibian Sun found at least five accounts which have recently been used are linked to prominent schools in Windhoek.
These accounts are then connected to an Instagram account.
The accounts which Namibian Sun found through a search on both Instagram and the qoou.me site, include Nam_Confessions 101, Whk_Confessions and whkgym_Confessions.
While the Instagram accounts are marked as private and only followers are able to enter, the accounts on the qoou.me site can be opened by anyone. The Nam_Confessions account specifically makes mention of Windhoek Gymnasium Private School, Windhoek High School and Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP).
Sources also say that WAP learners are apparently also organising “rainbow parties”. Some learners confessed what they did at the parties, on these accounts.
These parties are said to include oral sex with multiple partners, both male and female.
According to the creator of the Nam_Confessions account, the page was reported and closed, but reopened again.
'Many problems'
A department head at WAP, Abie van Wyk, told Namibian Sun that they are aware of these accounts that learners are using anonymously.
“We have had many problems with them and so have other schools. Learners are able to say anything they want and we do not know if there is any truth to it or where it is coming from,” he said.
According to him, the school learned about the accounts through learners complaining about what others were saying online.
“It is very concerning that someone can just say anything on social media without being held accountable.”
He said these of anonymous accounts have been around for some time. “We have urged learners not to get involved in these types of activities and warned them about the dangers and how it can ruin lives.”
Van Wyk said currently, it appears there is no solution to stop these accounts and the following they attract.
“Our laws are not on that level. We have had similar problems with Facebook in the past, but were unable to do much about it,” Van Wyk added.
Difficult
Meanwhile, Ombudsman John Walters told Namibian Sun that he can also not say how this issue can be addressed.
Walters, however, made it clear that parents should take responsibility.
“This is just another example of how people are using technology to abuse others. This practice must stop,” said Walters.
He pointed out that a person's life can be ruined by making false accusations online. He said a good example is the MiWay saga recently reported in South Africa where two employees received hate mail and death threats for a fake “racist” email that went viral on social media, but was actually written by an angry client.
Walters said education at home and school is therefore very important to teach children to be tolerant towards others and respect each other's rights.
“The call must be on children themselves and parents, as well as those that know about these accounts, to report them and not take part.”
First Lady Monica Geingos during the state of education address recently also expressed her concern about the use of social media platforms by learners and cyberbullying.
She said she is aware of these confidential accounts in which schools are named.
“Young people are sharing their darkest secrets and protect their own identity, but not that of another child.”
She said that “if a learner for instance did drugs over the weekend the person would post, 'Sandra and I did drugs'. Now you can imagine the anxiety of Sandra – it's a form of bullying.”
Institute for Public Policy Research researcher Frederico Links, said that this remains a grey area.
“If the site is for instance based in the US to shut down the page or take legal action there will be jurisdictional issues to take into account, to apply to have content or the page removed. You will have to approach the US courts.”
He pointed out that the issue of who will be held accountable remains problematic as the postings are anonymous.
According to Links, Namibia has no law in place at the moment that deals with cyberbullying or online harassment.
“You can be found guilty for comments that you make on social media, but how do you make a case against an anonymous person. Who do you turn to in Namibia? All authorities are struggling with this,” Links said.
He said the proposed Electronic Transaction and Cybercrime Act is attempting to deal with online harassment as well.
However, he warns that care must also be taken in terms of this regulation not to clamp down on freedom of expression.
“If somebody finds something offensive, is it really harassment or defamatory, or is it only offensive to you. It is very easy to claim harassment and therefore we have to be clear what we are regulating.”
The spokesperson of the education ministry, Johanna Absalom, said the ministry is aware of these types of social media sites where cyberbullying is taking place as well as other bullying by learners.
“The ministry investigates cases once a report or a complaint has been made. Therefore, we encourage all learners and all citizens under the services and within our mandate to come forward.”
According to Absalom, access to social media and information is a choice of each individual.
“Therefore, it is not against the law to open a social media account and the ministry cannot close these accounts or prohibit learners from opening them. Schools may choose to look at their current code of conduct to see the provisions around violence and bullying in schools for both learners and teachers. This would guide them on steps that can be taken.”
The ministry is also working with various stakeholders to develop a website for Child Online Protection (COP), which the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) is currently busy developing.
In addition, the ministry is also busy developing the National Safe School Framework, which will guide schools on how to prevent violence in schools, including online violence.
The ministry said it realises the challenges associated with the social media and is taking steps to include COP and also online etiquette in the revision of the Life Skills curriculum.
It will also look at supplementing other curricula.
Absalom also said the ministry generally believes bullying indicates an underlying behavioural problem by the learner and therefore schools have a Life Skills teacher and every region has a regional school counsellor to assist the life skills teacher to deal with such behavioural challenges.
“These behavioural issues may often spring from personal issues that the learner is facing at home or in the community.”
Engaging bullies
Absalom said instances of bullying should be identified as early as possible, they must be prevented and when they occur there should be proper support for the child who was bullied and the bully.
“It is important for the ministry that parents also get involved in order to positively influence the behaviour of the bully and to support the child who was bullied. Bullying at schools, if left undetected and not addressed, can lead to depression in children, poor academic performance and school drop-outs,” Absalom added.
The ministry said with the development of the National Safe Schools Framework, schools will be guided on developing internal regulations around violence and bullying, which would include responses to cyberbullying.
Both the director of Windhoek Gymnasium, Fanie van Zyl, and the school's managing director, Colette Rieckert, said they were not aware of the cyberbullying websites.
ELLANIE SMIT
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