principals and teachers
30 November 2007
This year was without a doubt a very difficult year for the entire education
community in the country and in this province.
We are all aware that the prolonged industrial action earlier this year has
impacted heavily on all of our lives. However, I have no reason to be anxious
about the matric or other grade results.
Even though the strike in June affected schooling for up to three weeks in
communities that could least afford this disruption, when a call was made once
the strike was over, you have rallied to catch up via extra revision
programmes; tuition after school hours; on Saturday mornings; and at winter and
spring schools during the holidays. I want to applaud the scores of principals
that have even followed own initiative.
I believe you did your best to prepare our children fully, not only for the
exams, but for life in general, especially for those who are on the brink of
adulthood. I am confident that the extra effort put in by all of you will make
an important difference to the final results.
I know that many of you have during the years sacrificed family and personal
time, perhaps to be a safety net and a guiding hand for a child destined for
the streets, steering him away from a world of drugs and crime and waste. It is
often these unselfish acts by many of you that stand between social order and
chaos.
I want to salute all of you who have been diligently arriving on time for
school, properly preparing for classroom lessons, conducting examinations and
tests with integrity, and giving hope to the future.
I acknowledge that you need more than just verbal recognition for your
dedication and of the demands that you face. You need tangible recognition for
your unremitting efforts to hold the social fabric together.
Therefore I sincerely hope that you will grab the opportunities presented by
the National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development, issued by
Minister Naledi Pandor, as it provides clear and coherent policies for the
recruitment, professional preparation and continuing professional development
of teachers.
In addition, I remain optimistic that a solution can be reached at a
national level on the outstanding agreements on pay progression and the
occupation specific dispensation. It would be a travesty if agreement is not
reached, and money rightfully belonging to you does not reach you.
I also want to pay tribute to all the schools, which have for the first time
ever, signed commitments during the first term to set targets to improve the
quality of matric pass rates in the Western Cape.
We will use the targets to hold all responsible to account, including
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) management and support staff. In the
end, we want the targets to encourage excellence and to provide clear
objectives as we strive to provide quality education for all.
The year 2007 is coming to an end and I wish you a happy and safe holiday
break. But before we can enjoy our well-deserved rest we need to ensure that we
have made provision for safety and security during the festive season.
Warm regards enjoy and have a safe journey.
Circular to all schools from the Western Cape Education Department (From the
Safe Schools Directorate)
Dear Principal
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has given their commitment to do
visible patrols at schools over the festive season. Please liaise with your
sector commander in your area to ensure that your school is being serviced.
Your Safe Schools Co-ordinator has arranged holiday patrols for high-risk
schools. The newly appointed Safety Resource Officers will be having holiday
programmes with learners from 3 to 14 December 2007 with selected high risk
schools.
Please ensure that:
* all valuable items are stored away in a safe and secure space e.g.
safe
* your alarm system is in a working condition and that it is activated before
you leave your school
* that your armed response company will respond to the alarm by testing
it
* that you implement the Protect our Property Campaign.
Stop vandalism and protect our property
Vandalism: The wilful destruction or defacing of property is a crime. It is
expensive to repair. It makes our schools and communities unattractive and
unsafe. It is not cool.
The price we pay
Schools pay a lot of money to do repairs on buildings and replace vandalised
equipment. That is money that could have been used to buy sports equipment or
new computers, etc. Government, the WCED per se pay the bills for vandalism.
Once again, these monies could be more effectively utilised to enhance
education.
More than money
People feel angry, hurt and sometimes frightened when something of theirs, a
car, house, bike, etc. has been stolen, vandalised or destroyed for no reason.
Learners experience the same hurt when their classrooms or school has been
vandalised.
Why vandalism?
Schools are being vandalised for various reasons:
* need for money
* teens spraying graffiti out of boredom
* revenge
* defiance
* association with friends.
Take action: Protect our property
Vandalism in schools has become a monumental problem. The funding used for
the unnecessary expenditure on vandalism could be spent more constructively.
There is a necessity to curb the abuse of school property. How can communities
help to prevent the ongoing destruction of school property?
Ten points to help Protect Our Property (POP)
* Network effectively to have human resources available to monitor he school
during the holidays, i.e. neighbourhood watch, armed response company, local
police, school watch (learners, parents), media, etc.
* Start a Vandalism Hotline in co-operation with the police.
* Teach parents to monitor their children's various stages of development, his
or her changes in interest, friends, activities, attitudes, etc.
* Teach your children about the effects of vandalism on the school. Create
awareness of this evil.
* Use the talented graffiti-artists in a positive, non-destructive way.
* Inform children of the criminal consequences of vandalism.
* Work with your faith community to adopt a street or park with your school,
youth, or community group.
* Secure school property by visibly marking school property by post coding /
unique numbering.
* Suspicious persons loitering in an area where an act of vandalism may be
committed should be reported immediately. Do not assume somebody else has made
the call.
* Report vandalism and all school crime to the Safe School Call Centre,
toll-free number 0800 45 46 47.
Please provide the safe schools call centre, nearest police station and
armed response company with the following information:
* name of schools and contact details
* name of Principal
* telephone numbers (home and cell)
* contact person during holidays.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 467 2523
Cell: 082 550 3938
Fax: 021 425 5689
E-mail: gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
30 November 2007
