EC Education embarks on LGBTIQ awareness campaign in schools

Author: Thando Ngcume
Date: 23/04/2022

The ECDoE  in collaboration with the Department of Justice and the LGBTIQ Provincial task team have embarked on a campaign to educate learners around the Province about the rights of LGBTIQ community.

The campaign started in three (3) schools, Archie Velile Senior Secondary School, Charles Morgan Combined School and Nosizwe High School in the Buffalo City district.

 Zukiswa Njotini, Head of special programmes in the Department said that the partnership between the 2 departments comes after the provincial task team was mandated to advocate awareness on issues related to LGBTIQ, dealing with issues of stigma and discrimination in schools, as well as to promote constitutional rights to ensure that leaners who might fall under the LBTIQ community may find space to come out and open up.

The Department of Justice, Human Rights Coordinator for LGBTIQ Wellbeing, Sibonelo Ncanana-Trower, said that the collaboration aims to also sensitize both learners and teachers regarding the rights of the LGBTI community, create an understanding of human sexuality and to communicate the challenges faced by learners with regards to hate crimes, homophobia, transphobia, corrective rape and bullying in schools. 

"Working with the ECDoE on such a campaign was long overdue as large numbers of human rights violations and hate crimes happen in the schooling environment, therefore we hope that this will eliminate school dropouts, student committing suicide due to discrimination and rejection from other learners and teachers" said Ncanana-Trower.

During the campaign workshop learners were given the platform to voice their opinions.  Charles Morgan Grade 12 learner Brandon Chikuwe commended the Department for such an informative programme for learners and teachers.

Limyoli Nalo from Archive Velile Senior Secondary School said that she 'believes that the awareness workshop is a step in the right direction and hopes that the department will have plans in place to deal with the push back from teachers and parents/'

The campaign will be advocated in all Education Districts in the Province throughout the month of April and May.

IMAGES:  THANDO NGCUME

Gallery (click to view)

By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Privacy Preference Centre

When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Performance Cookies

Marketing Cookies

Functional Cookies

Analytic Cookies