Spreading positivity in Western Cape schools

19 May 2025

For the fifth consecutive year, the Western Cape is celebrating Positive Behaviour Day, with events taking place across the province. This year's theme, "Step Forward, Step Up!", encourages learners to embody kindness, empathy and care.

According to Ignatius Du Preez, Director: Inclusive and Specialised Education Support, stepping forward and stepping up is about ensuring kindness leads. He used the analogy of a beehive, where individual bees work together to create a thriving community, to remind learners of the importance of supporting one another and choosing to uplift and include others.

The celebrations at the Positive Behaviour Intervention and Resource Centre (PBIRC) in Wynberg featured inspiring performances by learners from various schools. A group from Lentegeur School for Learners with Special Education Needs showcased their talents with two original songs about overcoming struggles and supporting each other. Astra School's Recorder Ensemble, joined by the school's gardener Oom Andries, PBIRC learners, Wynberg Girls' High School's gumboot dancers and The Grove Primary’s Jazz Vocal Ensemble also wowed the audience.

In a powerful address, keynote speaker Moosa "Mo" Mahadick, PBIRC's founding principal, emphasized that care must be the dominant principle in daily interactions with children. By connecting with learners, we can unlock their potential, overcome barriers to learning and transform their lives. Mahadick noted that a pedagogy of care should underpin all our work in schools.

The event highlighted the impact of the programme on individual learners. Brody Daniels, a former learner at PBIRC, shared how the programme taught him valuable skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership. Now a prefect and final-year student at CAFDA School of Skills, Brody aspires to become an IT specialist.

The celebrations concluded with a dramatic performance by Talfalah Primary School's Marching Band, showcasing their creativity and cohesiveness.

Later this month, Positive Behaviour Champions will be crowned in each education district, serving as role models who inspire others to embody kindness, empathy, and care.