By Tebogo Mokae*

• During a Back-to-School Campaign visit to two primary schools in Ritchie, in the Northern Cape, the head of the province’s Department of Social Development noted that no child’s dignity should ever be compromised.
• During the campaign, more than 100 learners were given school uniforms, bags and stationery. 
• Department head, Shouneez Wookey, highlighted that education must take place in spaces where children feel safe, supported, and presentable, enabling them to learn with confidence and pride.

As schools reopened for the new year, the Northern Cape Department of Social Development led a 2026 Back-to-School Campaign at Riet Rivier Primary School and Kgabang Primary School in Ritchie, some 40km south of Kimberley, in the Frances Baard District, reaffirming the government’s commitment to child protection and the preservation of learner dignity.

The campaign is part of the department’s mandate of dealing with social ills, with focused interventions addressing bullying, gender-based violence (GBV), substance abuse, child safety, and the protection of learners’ rights within educational environments.

The work undertaken by the department is based on the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the Children’s Act (Act 38 of 2005), the White Paper for Social Welfare, and the National Development Plan (NDP 2030).

Speaking during the engagement, the head of the Department for Social Development in the Northern Cape, Shouneez Wookey, emphasised the department’s responsibility to protect and uplift children as the future of the country.

“We care deeply for the children of this province.

“We are here to remind every learner that they matter, that their rights must be preserved, safeguarded and protected. No child’s dignity should ever be compromised.

“Our duty is to ensure that learners enjoy schooling in an environment free from bullying, abuse, prejudice or fear,” said Wookey.

She also highlighted that education must take place in spaces where children feel safe, supported, and presentable, enabling them to learn with confidence and pride.

As part of the campaign’s efforts to promote dignity and ensure that social-economic conditions do not become barriers to learning, more than 100 learners received school uniforms. In addition, MTN contributed branded school bags and stationery.

The campaign acknowledged the broader socio-economic realities affecting the Ritchie community, where unemployment levels remain high, and livelihoods are largely sustained through seasonal farm work, through the Expanded Public Works Programme, the Community Work Programme, social grants, small-scale entrepreneurship, fishing, soup kitchens, and the taxi industry.

These conditions contribute to persistent social ills, including domestic violence, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, theft, poverty, and the misuse of social grants.

The department reiterated that family preservation and restoration remain central to its approach, recognising that parental involvement, responsible caregiving, and community accountability are essential to learner success.

Schools cannot succeed in isolation without active family and community support.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), a key partner in the campaign, was represented by the acting District Manager Lebogang Cindi, who addressed parents and caregivers on the responsible use of social grants and the importance of timely applications.

Cindi encouraged parents to apply for social relief and child support grants within the required timeframes and to ensure that grant funding was used in the best interests of children, particularly for education-related needs such as school uniforms, nutrition, and learning materials.

He cautioned against the misuse of grants and stressed that social assistance was intended to break cycles of poverty, not entrench dependency.

Learners were also encouraged to take their education seriously and to speak up where grant resources meant for their well-being were misused.

The campaign was strengthened through collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including SASSA, Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, Frances Baard District Municipality, the Department of Health, MTN, and community-based partners.

Local government leadership was represented by Councillor Diteko Dioka, who stood in for Executive Mayor Barbara Bartlett, alongside Frances Baard District Municipality Speaker Cece Mothibi.

The department reaffirmed that bullying, gender-based violence, substance abuse, and learner abuse were not only school issues but societal challenges that required coordinated, multi-sectoral responses rooted in prevention, early intervention, and care.

Through the 2026 Back-to-School Campaign, the Department of Social Development continues to advance its vision of a caring and integrated system of social services that empowers individuals, strengthens families, and builds resilient communities.

The campaign sends a clear message: every child has the right to safety, dignity, education, and hope for a better future. When the government, schools, families, and communities stand together, no obstacle can stand in the way of a child’s potential.