Calls to have the terms head boy and head girl formally scrapped at schools have become a hot topic among members of the LGBTQ+ community.
This comes after the Foundation for Education and Social Justice Africa described the term as “discriminatory [and] that does not promote an inclusive culture”.
Hendrick Makaneta, an education activist and director at the foundation, says the terms in all probability make it difficult for transgender learners to take part in leadership structures.
“There are learners who do not identify with the male or female gender and some who are biologically born a boy who prefer to be called a girl and vice versa,” he explains.
Makaneta claims these pupils often stay away from leadership roles in school because they cannot identify with the terms “head boy” and “head girl”.
He says it is for this reason that the foundation called on the provincial education department to send out a circular for schools to amend the policy.
“We really need to disrupt the current arrangement in order to create space for all the learners.
“We need to replace ‘head boy’ and ‘head girl’ with inclusive terms such as ‘president and/or deputy president’,” he says.
LGBTQ+ activist Clive Jacobs agrees, as he also believes that the terms could lead to learners being further bullied.
“Why not call them head prefect or head scholar? Why should the position be determined by gender? Having these terms can be a turn off and there are many reasons,” Jacobs adds.
He says that it was the schools’ responsibility to promote inclusivity and make all learners feel welcome and valuable.
“It’s unfair and, as a member of the LGBTQI+ community, I would even say it’s a load to carry, especially if you are not identifying yourself as a girl or boy.
“It’s for the school to know that having a leader shouldn’t be determined or classified by a gender.”
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department, says all schools have structures in place to address issues of inclusivity and diversity at their school: “This can be done through engagement with their school governing body, on which, the Representative Council of Learners from the school is represented.
“School leadership positions, and the naming of such positions, can be discussed through these forums. The naming and structures of school leadership positions differ from school to school.”
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za