Mpumalanga Dep of Education Calls for Suspension of Pupil Caught on Camera Drinking Alcohol in Class

• The Mpumalanga Department of Education is calling for immediate action against a learner caught on camera drinking alcohol at school
• The department wants the student suspended and for the school to take disciplinary measures
• The department also wants the school to deliver a full incident report and a plan to address the underage drinking

MPUMALANGA - The Department of Education in Mpumalanga wants swift action to be taken against a learner who was allegedly drinking alcohol on school premises.

The pupil was caught on camera drinking what looked like an alcoholic beverage in a video that has since gone viral.

Department of Education wants alcohol-drinking students out of school

According to a statement by the department's spokesperson Jasper Zwane, the department wants the pupil from Siftokotile Secondary School in Mbombela to be suspended for the unruly action, reports EWN.

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In the viral video, the pupil is dressed in school uniform and seemingly sipping on an alcoholic drink in class.

The department says it is yet to determine when the video was taken, but it has a zero-tolerance policy on underage drinking. The department also condemned the pupil's behaviour.

Department of Education wants a full report after a pupil was caught on camera drinking alcohol

According to IOL, Zwane stated that the Department of Education had requested a full report from the school regarding the incident.

The department also wants the school to institute disciplinary measures against the learner.

The department also said it would send a team to the school to advise the School Governing Body (SGB) on the steps to address the drinking incident.

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Mental Health advocate weighs in on underage kids consuming alcohol

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, Candice Lambert, a Mental Health advocate, Neuro-coach and CEO of the Wellness Dialogue Group, says underaged drinking has become a serious public health challenge in South Africa.

Lambert explained that according to statistics taken in 2022, 50% of teenagers will experiment with alcohol, with more than half making it a habit. The stats indicated that 13% of boys will try alcohol before the age of 13, and 8% of girls will do so before the age of 13.

Weighing on the Mpumalanga pupil who allegedly drank alcohol in front of his classmates, Lambert said there are a number of reasons he might have done that, including trying to look "cool".

"There are numerous factors that would contribute to how teenagers display such behaviours, such as drinking in a classroom with bystanders their age.

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There is the notion of “cool kid” where they want to be seen as being cool enough to be able to not only drink alcohol but also push boundaries that have been set out for them to follow. This could also explain the rebellious behaviours that teenagers engage in," she explained.

Lambert added that it's not always about trying to look cool, teenagers might struggle with emotions such as anxiety and depression or dealing with personal issues such as fatherlessness, trauma or having divorced parents.

If they are not given healthy outlets to deal with these situations, children resort to alcohol, smoking or illegal substances using which at a young age has negative effects on the development of the child.

"Alcohol can have devastatingly negative effects on the development of a child should they drink alcohol from a young age. Statistics indicate that if children drink before the age of 20, they are 70% more likely to develop a dependency towards alcohol later on in life.

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This could have negative consequences on their academic performance, job prospects, mental health and well-being, reckless behaviours such as teenage pregnancies and dangerous driving. Should there be a pregnancy, alcohol feral syndrome is a highly possible risk to the unborn child," said Lambert.

How parents can prevent underage drinking

Parents have a lot of power in the prevention of substance abuse of their children, says Lambert. Connection, love, play and other protective factors serve as preventative measures for later challenges in life.

Additionally, parents should definitely be controlling their own alcohol intake and find healthier ways to deal with daily struggles. Children learn from their parents and would copy what their parents do.

Psycho-social support programs in communities and schools are an absolute necessity, and The Wellness Dialogue, in association with Kids Dialogue and Healthy Future Kids Foundation, implement such programs for schools.

Clip shows a schoolgirl driving bus while driver drinks beer

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Briefly News previously reported that the safety of one's child is every parent's biggest concern. That's why a video showing a bus driver allowing a pupil to take the wheel while he day drinks is so concerning.

On Wednesday, social media user Kulani - who goes by the handle @kulanicool, posted a video showing a teen driving a bus while the actual driver stands next to her.

Not only did he allow a learner, who is not licenced to drive a bus, to take the wheel, but the man was also spotted drinking beer from the bottle.

Source: Briefly News