Pretoria - Springvale Primary School is mourning the death of Grade 1 learner Dylan Bear Joubert, who is believed to have died with his mother and little sister.
In a letter addressed to parents and guardians and seen by the Pretoria News, school principal Asha Rajkumar described the family’s death as “tragic” and “heart-wrenching”.
“I am writing to share with you an extremely tragic and heart-wrenching piece of news that deeply affects our school community,” the principal wrote. “It is with immense sadness that I inform you about the passing of one of our beloved Grade 1 learners, Dylan Bear Joubert.”
Without going into detail, she wrote that the learner’s mother and his sister passed away unexpectedly.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Dylan’s family during this unimaginably difficult time, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to them.”
She described Dylan as an “extraordinary” young learner with an infectious smile and a caring heart.
“He touched the lives of many here at school with his enthusiasm for learning, kindness towards others, and unwavering joy.
“He will be dearly missed by students, teachers, and staff alike,” she said.
Rajkumar said the news would be difficult to process, especially to his peers who would not fully comprehend the concept of loss.
The principal offered the school’s counselling services to learners.
”As a school, we will be providing support and counselling services to help students cope with their emotions and grief during this challenging time.
“Our staff and counsellor will be available to talk with the children, answer their questions, and offer comfort and understanding. If you feel that your child needs additional support or resources, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
“We are committed to helping our students and their families through this grieving process.”
She announced that they were planning a special memorial service at the school to be announced soon.
By late yesterday afternoon it was unclear what the cause of the death was.
Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona had not responded to an enquiry sent to him by the time of publication.
Pretoria News