Elections are pivotal to anyone at any age, say the learners at King David Primary

King David Primary School learners have joined the election frenzy sweeping the country by casting their first votes during a mock election on 14 May.

The mock poll was aimed at giving the learners a practical lesson in democracy. They were also given an opportunity to vote for the party they believed would meet their needs. The parties were run by Mikaela Suchard for the Equality Respect for All (ERA), Aidan Goralsky for the Democratic Youth League (DYL) and Levi Sweidan from the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Hayley Schiffman, Grade 6 teacher, and organiser of the mock election said, “As a part of the social science syllabus, we were to tackle democracy in the third term. However, I thought it would be best to coincide the topic of democracy with the 2019 elections. This is to educate learners on democracy and that with every right, there is a responsibility.

“In this way, we can teach the learners about how South Africa is governed. It is a general election year, which is a very good time to introduce the learners to democracy, as people will be ranting and raving about it. At least when people talk, the learners will be able to get a bit of an understanding of what democracy means and what it means to vote.”

She had told her class that they needed to go with their parents to vote and ask if they were allowed get a mark on their left thumb to take a selfie and have it sent to her as part of a school project.

The whole purpose of the learners going with their parents was to make them aware of their surroundings at the voting polls. This exercise was put in place to emphasise the importance of voting. An effort had to be made by the learners to educate themselves and their parents on what they thought voting was.

Schiffman said, “The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa endorsed us with three voting booths and a ballot box. We set it up in our media centre and most of the grade 5 to 7 learners had the opportunity to vote.”

The Grade 6 learners were the voting officials at voting stations. They held the ballot papers, inked the voters’ thumbs and controlled the entrances.

Ben Ginsberg in Grade 7, who is the president of the Johannesburg Mini Council, said, “I will vote for the party that believes in human rights and whose prime purpose would be service delivery, therefore I don’t mind waiting in ‘line’ as I know it is for a good cause.”

The parties are yet to announce the mock party that has won the elections.

Details: King David Sandton 011 253 7440.

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