Initiation Schools: What Exactly Are We Allowing Our Children?

Initiation Schools: What Exactly Are We Allowing Our Children?

By KHANYISA MANGANYI

In the quiet corners of South Africa, deep within the mountains and rural communities, lies a tradition cloaked in secrecy, pain, and pride—initiation schools. For many, it's a sacred rite of passage. For others, it's a silent scream hidden behind culture. But the big question remains: What are we really initiating our children into?

As parents, elders, or concerned citizens, we cannot afford to turn a blind eye any longer. Because this isn’t just about tradition anymore. This is about children—young boys and girls—being sent away for weeks, sometimes months, into environments we hardly understand. It’s time we asked the hard, uncomfortable questions.

When you hear the word "school," you expect education—skills that build a child's future, shape their thinking, and open doors. But in this initiation schools, what exactly are they being taught? Do they come back wiser? Smarter? Better equipped for life?

Let’s be honest. Many come back emotionally changed, physically wounded, or mentally scarred. Some are praised as “men” or “women” now, but are they better prepared to handle life’s challenges? Are they learning how to deal with joblessness, identity, morality, or purpose?

It’s not a criticism of tradition—it’s a cry for clarity.

Culture is powerful. It grounds us, gives us identity, and brings people together. But not everything wrapped in culture is automatically good or safe. Some traditions were created during times when life was very different. Today, our children face a new world—complex, dangerous, and evolving.

So again, we ask: Whatever these kids are taught, do they need it in the near future?

How much of it is building character, and how much is just pain dressed up as preparation?

The word “initiation” suggests being welcomed into something bigger—something meaningful. But initiation into what? A sense of belonging? Manhood? Adulthood?

Or something spiritual we don’t talk about?

This is where the conversation gets heavy. There are real spiritual concerns around initiation schools. Children are often exposed to rituals, chants, or symbols they do not understand. Some have shared stories of dreams and fears that linger long after the ceremonies end.

So the question must be asked—spiritually, is it even safe or wise for them? Do we truly understand the doors that might be opened?What is the cost of forcing a young soul into a realm they are not prepared for, in the name of tradition?

At the heart of this issue lies a deep responsibility. As guardians, are we protecting our children or just blindly continuing practices we never dared question? If you knew your child would come back different, confused, or even harmed, would you still send them? Or are we all just playing along, afraid to look like we’ve abandoned our roots? And more importantly, what does it mean to protect culture if it comes at the cost of a child's well-being?

Culture should evolve. It should protect, teach, and uplift. Not traumatize, confuse, or endanger.

So here we are, torn between honoring our past and safeguarding our future.

Initiation schools: A rite of passage or a passage into confusion, pain, and silence?

Only one question remains:

Are we guiding our children into growth—or are we simply letting them go?

Anything and Everything Blog