New centre aimed at calming community

"WE have to calm ourselves so that we can calm the house."

With these words, Sapphire Primary School head Bruce Damons opened the school's wellness and discipline centre, House of Hope, yesterday.

Sapphire Primary, on the outskirts of Booysen Park in Port Elizabeth's northern areas, had suffered with disciplinary issues among pupils for several years.

Damons said these issues had often been attributed to violence, substance abuse, gangsterism and other societal issues which spilt over to the school.

In an attempt to combat mayhem in the institution, the school decided to open a centre where teachers, principals, pupils and the broader community could go for counselling at no cost.

"Our discipline had taken a dip because of these problems and we did not know how to deal with it," Damons said.

"Our kids grow up in dire circumstances and walk in with these challenges. That's why we decided to get [psychologist] Keith Appolis on board to help us on our journey to calming the school. I was the first to be counselled and given tips as to how to do it. His advice is: if the head is calm, the body will follow." - Alvené du Plessis