The lack of psychosocial support in SA schools is one of many challenges faced by children, one that has often been neglected and was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially true for schools in marginalised communities.
According to NPO Equal Education’s head of organising, Nontsikelelo Dlulani, one can't divorce addressing other challenges faced by children without addressing psychosocial support. “Psychosocial support is able to groom this child to become a better version of themselves,” says Dlulani.
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Image: 123rf/andreypopov
The lack of psychosocial support in SA schools is one of many challenges faced by children, one that has often been neglected and was worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially true for schools in marginalised communities.
According to NPO Equal Education’s head of organising, Nontsikelelo Dlulani, one can't divorce addressing other challenges faced by children without addressing psychosocial support. “Psychosocial support is able to groom this child to become a better version of themselves,” says Dlulani.
The burden of helping children with their psychosocial needs has often fallen on teachers who are not qualified to deal with them and who are inundated with other challenges faced by the country's education system.
Dlulani says redressing the lack of psychosocial support in schools is dependent on collaboration between the education department, the department of social development and other partner organisations who deal with the psychosocial support of children.
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