by provincial heads of Education Departments in Pretoria
15 May 2006
The Director-General of the Department of Education, Mr Duncan Hindle, and
the nine provincial heads of education met in Pretoria to discuss school safety
measures at public and independent schools.
The Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) approved additional
amendments of safety measures in schools. The amendments will be forwarded to
the provincial MECs and the Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, MP, next
month for approval.
HEDCOM noted incidents of violence at schools in some provinces as reported
in the media. Further, the meeting felt that one incident at one school, was an
incident too many in our schools.
The Department of Education wishes to reiterate that there are safety
measures in place and that it will review their enforcement. HEDCOM wishes to
state that with the co-operation of the community, parents, educators, learners
and other government departments like the police services, we can create
schools as places for learning and teaching, free from violence, drugs and
fire-arms.
The Regulations for School Safety Measures under the South African Schools
Act were first passed in October 2001 and those for independent schools in
August 2004. These Regulations must be seen as support to the applicable laws
of the country.
The existing Regulations state that all schools have been declared âdrug
free and dangerous object free zones.â
HEDCOM reiterated that the regulations for safety in schools are in place
and they need to be implemented and strengthened. Regulations do allow for
searches of learners by educators.
The current regulations however do not cover school trips and tours. It was
therefore necessary to extend the safety measures by amending the existing
regulations in order to accommodate school trips and tours.
According to the additional regulations, those are in submission to the
Council of Education Ministers. These regulations deals mainly with reasonable
âmanagement and control of learners at school during tours or sporting
activities.â Some of the recently reported incidents took place during school
visits.
Among the recommended Regulations, schools undertaking school tours and
activities will be required to take measures to ensure that the school receive
approval by an official representing the province, before undertaking any
tour.
Concerning the transport of the learners on a school trip, where the school
has its own vehicle for transporting the learners, such vehicles must have
insurance and roadworthy certificates, and drivers of such vehicles must be in
possession of a valid driverâs licence as well as a professional driving
permit. A transport company transporting the learners must provide these
documents to the school.
A supervising educator must intervene of there is doubt regarding the
roadworthiness of the vehicle or the competence of the driver.
HEDCOM stresses that the safety of learners on school trips relates not only
to the absence of dangerous objects and drugs but the means of transport that
was used by the school must also be safe.
If approved by the Council of Education Ministers, these recommended
regulations will come into effect on the date of publication in the Government
Gazette.
Enquiries:
John S Mojapelo
Cell: 083 650 0033
Issued by: Department of Education
15 May 2006
