A lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Khanyisile Nene, has warned that repeated school violence incidents can create a climate of fear that affects pupils' attendance, concentration, and sense of safety. According to Nene, pupils exposed to such incidents can experience trauma that affects not only their emotional wellbeing but also the functioning of an entire school community. This comes amid a series of shootings involving pupils in KwaZulu-Natal, including incidents in which pupils have been killed and others seriously injured at school and on their way there.
Nene stated that pupils may experience intense fear, helplessness, shock, grief, or guilt, particularly if someone they know is injured or killed. In the immediate aftermath, pupils may experience nightmares, intrusive memories, irritability, tearfulness, and difficulty concentrating. Some may develop headaches or stomach aches, while others may become fearful of returning to school. Younger children may become unusually clingy or display behavioural regression, while adolescents may withdraw, become angry, take risks, or attempt to hide their distress.
However, Nene cautioned that not every pupil exposed to violence would develop post-traumatic stress disorder. The impact can depend on a pupil's age, how close they were to the incident, previous exposure to trauma, the support available at home, and how the school responds. Nevertheless, all affected learners should be monitored and given access to appropriate support. For pupils who repeatedly encounter violence, the effects can extend beyond fear immediately after a shooting.
Nene said repeated incidents could create a climate of chronic fear, with pupils avoiding school, arriving late, remaining absent after an incident, or struggling to participate fully in lessons. Parents, too, may decide to keep their children at home because they fear for their safety. The trauma can also interfere directly with learning. Trauma affects attention, memory, emotional regulation, and sleep, all of which are essential for learning.
A pupil who is constantly scanning their surroundings for danger has fewer psychological resources available to concentrate, process new information, and remember what has been taught. This can result in declining academic performance, behavioural difficulties, and disengagement from school. The consequences could ultimately extend beyond individual pupils, with repeated exposure to violence possibly normalising violence or leaving pupils believing that adults and institutions are unable to protect them.
Nene recommended that schools should have a co-ordinated, trauma-informed response following violent incidents, with support extending beyond pupils to teachers, support staff, and families. The immediate priorities should include restoring physical safety, providing accurate and age-appropriate information, reconnecting pupils with trusted adults, and identifying those who require urgent psychological or psychiatric intervention. Schools should also have clear referral pathways involving school-based support teams, district services, mental-health professionals, and relevant health and social-development services.
Furthermore, pupils showing persistent trauma symptoms, severe withdrawal, marked behavioural changes, suicidal thoughts, or an inability to function should be referred for specialised assessment and treatment. The response should be sensitive, confidential, and culturally appropriate, with pupils monitored over time because some difficulties may emerge days or weeks later. Schools should provide practical classroom support, flexible academic arrangements where necessary, and opportunities for pupils to express themselves safely, while avoiding forcing pupils to recount traumatic experiences before they are ready.
Key points
- Repeated school violence incidents can create a climate of chronic fear that affects pupils' attendance, concentration, and sense of safety.
- The impact of trauma on pupils can depend on their age, previous exposure to trauma, and the support available at home and in school.
- Schools should have a co-ordinated, trauma-informed response following violent incidents, with support extending beyond pupils to teachers, support staff, and families.
