FREE STATE Provincial Department of Education has launched an intensive probe after the outraged pictures of Christiaan De Wet Combined School pupils went viral on social media on Tuesday, 21 November night.
This after 13 pupils were allegedly burnt with irons by senior learners on their arms as a sign of initiation ritual practices.
Education spokesman Howard Ndaba said the department learnt about the incidents through social media posts which depict the gruesome bullying of a grade 8 boy learner.
"We have noticed fresh burned marks in boy learner’s arm. Thirteen other boy pupils have similar burned marks which were meted out on 12, 13 and 15 November. The alleged perpetrators of these sordid misdemeanors and criminality are 4 grade 10 learners. The four learners will face disciplinary action for bullying and physically harming other learners," he said.
The provincial MEC for Education, Makalo Mohale, said school management and the School Governing Body were not aware of this practice.
According to some of the pupils in the school, this practice is done as part of a ritual initiating fellow learners who have been part of Christiaan De Wet Combined School hostel boarders.
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Apparently, junior Pupils are being bullied, intimidated and forcefully burned with hot objects on their arms.
"Those who resist or defy the order are threatened with more severe objects such as hot iron on their chests," said a pupil.
The pupil confirmed that the incident had psychologically affected him.
MEC Mohale said: "This is barbaric, and atavistic and must stop."
The visibly disappointed Mohale said the parents of the 13 boys have been informed about the incident.
Mohale said they would provide psychosocial counselling to all the victims.
Cosas National Congress Preparatory Task Team member Thabiso Mabaso has condemned the bullying and encouraged the government to regulate initiation schools.
"We are very much disappointed and distorted. The schools should be a safe environment for learners to express themselves without fear or abuse from anyone, including teachers. We reject this barbaric behavior under the name of initiation school,” he said.
No cases have been opened with police as yet.
