Clifton School

Words, wonder and a whole lot of fun!

Our Grade 2 boys brought their vocabulary to life in the most imaginative way at their Vocabulary Parade. Just another day of in the ♥️ 🐜

Address by Clifton's Executive Headmaster Adam Rogers at our annual raising of the anti-Gender Based Violence flag at Clifton on Friday.

"There are moments in the life of our School when we need to speak not simply about academic achievement, sporting success or excellence in the Arts, but about the kind of men we are becoming.

Today is one of those moments.

Every act of violence against women and girls is an attack on the values that we hold dear as a school. It contradicts everything that Clifton seeks to develop in each one of you.

At Clifton, we speak often about character. Character is revealed not by how you treat your friends or those who admire you, but by how you treat those who are more vulnerable than yourself.

True strength is never demonstrated through dominance or aggression. True strength is demonstrated through self-control, kindness, courage and respect.

We are proud to be a boys' school because we believe that boys thrive when they are challenged to become men of integrity, honour and compassion.

Our responsibility is not merely to prepare you for university or for a career. It is to prepare you for life. To become husbands, fathers, colleagues, leaders and citizens who make South Africa a better place.

Our country faces an epidemic of gender-based violence.

The statistics are heartbreaking, but behind every statistic is a daughter, a mother, a sister, a friend or a colleague whose life has been forever changed. We cannot simply shake our heads and assume that someone else will solve the problem.

The solution begins with the choices made by young men like each one of you.

It begins with refusing to laugh at degrading jokes.
It begins with refusing to share inappropriate images or messages.
It begins with speaking respectfully about girls and women, even when no adults are listening.
It begins with challenging your friends when they cross the line instead of remaining silent.
It begins with understanding that consent, respect and dignity are not optional. They are fundamental.
It takes courage to stand up when others remain seated.
It takes courage to interrupt harmful behaviour.
It takes courage to tell a friend that what he is doing is wrong.
That is the kind of courage Clifton expects.

Real men take responsibility for their actions.
Real men apologise when they are wrong.
Real men protect rather than prey upon others.
Real men build people up instead of breaking them down.

Gentlemen, I believe in you.
I believe that your generation has the opportunity to change the narrative in South Africa. You can become the generation of young men who reject violence, who lead with humility, who value equality, who respect women and who understand that genuine masculinity is measured not by power over others but by service to others.

If every Clifton boy leaves this school committed to treating every woman and every girl with respect, dignity and compassion, then we will have helped shape a safer, kinder and more hopeful South Africa."