Anti-bullying

What we mean by bullying

Bullying is behaviour that is meant to hurt, is usually repeated, and is done by someone who has more power, because he is older, stronger, or in a group. It includes:

• Physical: hitting, pushing, damaging or taking belongings.
• Verbal: insults, threats, name calling, mocking a boy's family, tribe, faith, accent or appearance.
• Social: leaving a boy out on purpose, spreading rumours, turning others against him.
• Online: hurtful messages, photos or posts, or sharing a boy's picture without his agreement.
• Initiation and "welcoming" rituals for new boys, and older boys making younger ones do their chores, give up food or money, or serve them. These are bullying and are not allowed.

What the school does

1. The member of staff who hears about it writes it down and tells the Principal the same day.
2. We talk separately with the boy who was hurt, the boy or boys involved, and anyone who saw it.
3. We make sure the boy who was hurt is safe, for example by changing where boys sleep or sit, or how closely they are supervised.
4. We decide on consequences under the school rules: a warning first, then a sanction, and in serious or repeated cases the boy is sent home. Where it is safe and the boy who was hurt agrees, we bring the boys together to put things right.
5. We tell the parents of all the boys involved.
6. If a boy has been seriously harmed, or the bullying may be a crime, the Designated Safeguarding Lead decides whether to involve Social Welfare or the police.

We do not use corporal punishment.

Bullying online

Section 23 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 makes cyber bullying a crime in Tanzania, including Zanzibar. We deal with online bullying between our boys even when it happens at home or in the holidays, because it follows them back to school.

If you see something, keep a screenshot and send it to us. Please do not share it further. If it is a sexual image of a boy, do not copy or forward it at all: tell the Designated Safeguarding Lead straight away.

How we try to stop it happening

• Teachers on duty supervise the dormitory and free time, day and night.
• Prefects are chosen for their character and their studies, and are trained for the role. They help staff keep order, but they never punish other boys.
• At the start of each term, boys are reminded what bullying is and how to report it.
• New boys are told on their first day who they can go to if anything goes wrong.

Records and review

Every report of bullying is recorded with what was done. The Principal reviews the records each term.

The law behind this policy

• Cybercrimes Act 2015, section 23 (cyber bullying).
• Zanzibar Children's Act 2011. Serious harm is handled under our safeguarding and child protection policy.