Grade 1 Pupil at St Stithians College Suffers Hearing Damage After Alleged Bullying Incident
- A Grade 1 pupil from the prestigious St Stithians College has reportedly been left with hearing problems
- The hearing issues follow an alleged bullying incident involving a fellow learner at the school
- The incident reportedly involved a boy shoving pencil shavings into the girl's ears
- Briefly News also spoke to another parent who recounted a similar experience at the school
A seven-year-old Grade 1 pupil at St Stithians College has allegedly suffered hearing damage following an incident of bullying involving another student. A boy reportedly inserted pencil shavings into her ears and warned that he would push the whole pencil in if she reported the incident.
Source: Getty Images
Bullying incident reported at Gauteng school
The child’s mother stated that this was not the first instance of bullying her daughter had experienced during her 10 months at the private school in Lyme Park, Sandton. The mother has reportedly opted to transfer her daughter to another school, stating that she felt the institution was not addressing her concerns adequately and was merely adhering to its disciplinary procedures.
According to News24, the school confirmed that they are aware of the allegations but stated that bullying is a challenge faced by all schools and that it actively works to monitor, prevent, and manage such incidents. The school’s rector, Celeste Gilgard, said that several policies, including anti-bullying and safeguarding guidelines, are in place to address these issues.
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The mother, who wished to remain anonymous to protect her daughter’s identity, had noticed changes in her child as early as July 2025. She described her daughter as being timid, unlike her usual bubbly self, and said she had even lost her appetite.
Another parent, who spoke to Briefly News on condition of anonymity, shared that they had a similar experience at the school. She said:
“The bullying at that school has been a problem for years, and that mother is right about their policies and rules. They don’t handle bullying properly, most of the time, the victim is blamed, and the parents are spoken about negatively.”
Pencil shavings found in ears
The mother recalled that one day her daughter came home with a torn uniform and bruises, and when asked, the girl said she had fallen. She said the child later admitted, a week before the third-term school break, that she had been beaten by a boy in the same grade.
The incident was reportedly captured by the school’s cameras. The mother noted that during the school break, while her daughter was at home watching TV, she noticed the volume was unusually high and, from her daughter’s body language, realised she could barely hear. She quickly arranged a check-up with the family doctor, who confirmed that pencil shavings had been found in both ears, explaining the hearing difficulties.
Source: Getty Images
The doctor's report
A doctor’s report allegedly stated that upon examination, both of the child’s ears were full of foreign objects, which were removed in the presence of her uncle. The report noted that the left ear was not yet completely clear. When asked if anyone had put the objects in her ears, the child confirmed that she had been harmed. The doctor concluded that, in their medical opinion, the child’s account should be believed and noted that her ears would be re-checked on Monday, 27 October 2025.
The mother described the decision to withdraw her daughter from the school as difficult, stating that she believed the boy responsible should have been suspended. She said the explanation she received for why he remained in her daughter’s class was that the school was simply “following the process.”
Briefly News has reached out to the school and the Gauteng education department for comment, but they have not yet responded.
3 More stories about bullying incidents at schools
- Briefly News previously reported that a viral video of a Grade 10 learner being assaulted by senior boys at a Cape Town school has ignited national outrage and debate over bullying in schools.
- The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund has been the latest organisation to add its voice to the Milnerton High School assault incident.
- Siviwe Gwarube has released a statement about the bullying incident at Milnerton High School.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
