Parents were taken aback after learning that Grade IV and Grade V pupils at a well-known primary school in Manzini had been drawn into a WhatsApp group where explicit and sexual content was being circulated.
The revelation, made during a school meeting, has sparked alarm over children’s exposure to online risks and reignited debate about how early pupils should have unlimited access to mobile phones.
According to the headteacher, the group was discovered after one vigilant parent noticed unusual activity on a child’s device.
Upon investigation, the school found that pupils as young as nine and 10 years had been included in the group, which also involved outsiders, including boys and adults not connected to the school.
“We had not realised this was happening until a parent alerted us,” the principal said.
“Some pupils who tried to leave the group were repeatedly forced back in without their consent. This is what worried us most, the children were effectively trapped in a harmful space,” he added.
The headteacher confirmed that the school immediately convened a meeting with teachers and parents to address the matter. Parents with ICT expertise assisted in identifying measures to shut down the group and to prevent further incidents. Since then, no new cases have been reported, he said.
“We told the children that these are dynamic times and that while their generation is very vibrant with technology, social media carries dangers,” the principal shared.
“Some of the parents who are ICT professionals stepped in with advice, and together we acted quickly to stop it. So far, we have not had any fresh reports, but this was a wake-up call for us,” he added.
He further emphasised that teachers were also urged to remain alert for any early warning signs among pupils, assuring parents that the school has since been monitoring senior grades, though no similar problems have surfaced there.
The principal warned that while devices are sometimes provided for homework or communication purposes, they can expose children to significant risks if not monitored closely.
“Every child today seems to have a phone, but parents must treat this as a duty to be vigilant. If you let it loose, you are exposing your child. We found it was too premature for such young pupils to be in such spaces. We urge parents to monitor their children’s devices constantly,” he cautioned.
Several parents who attended the meeting said they were horrified to discover how easily their children had been exposed to inappropriate online content.
“It is terrifying. We need stronger guidance on how to protect our children in this digital age. The saddest part is that some of the children were victims. They wanted to leave, but the administrators kept pulling them back. This shows how vulnerable our children really are,” said the parents.
The revelations come at the very start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and mirrors a case reported last year, when a separate online group known as Skipha Ema File came to light.
That group, also linked to pupils in Manzini, operated in a more elaborate and sinister manner. Described by parents as a ‘digital hall of shame’, it drew in nearly 2 000 followers and was chillingly organised in ‘seasons’, mimicking the style of a television series. Its administrators posted photographs of high school pupils alongside mocking commentary, doctored images and, in some cases, personal and explicit material.
Victims were humiliated publicly with no chance to respond. The format of the group meant that only the administrator could post, leaving targeted children without a voice or any avenue to defend themselves. The result was a relentless cycle of abuse that spilled into classrooms, with some pupils refusing to attend school for fear of ridicule.
Parents, who eventually gained access to the group, described it as a climate of intimidation. The administrator appeared to take pride in their anonymity, boasting openly about their ability to evade detection and even taunting families who sought help. In one post, the administrator offered a reward to anyone who could prevent them from being traced.
The cruelty did not stop at WhatsApp. The group’s content was later shared on Instagram, increasing the reach of the bullying and widening the pool of victims.
For many teenagers, the experience brought lasting trauma, with reports of anxiety, withdrawal and severe distress.
Cybersecurity expert Mndeni Nhlabatsi, adivising parents at the time, said the case illustrated the urgent need for parents to take an active role in monitoring their children’s devices.
“Monitoring is not spying, it is a necessary line of defence.
“If something like this occurs, report it immediately to authorities so that action can be taken quickly,” he said, further emphasising the importance of schools working hand in hand with parents.
“Schools can only do so much during the day.
The home is where most of this activity happens, so parents must be engaged,” he added.
