KwaZulu-Natal Education launches Schools as Centres and Support
Programme

9 February 2006

Fourteen–year-old Lindiwe (not her real name) became very withdrawn.
Initially her teacher suspected that she had a squabble with her friend but
when she sank deeper into a depression, the teacher became very concerned. A
home visit by a parent, who serves on the Care and Support Committee of her
school revealed that not only had Lindiwe lost both parents within one year but
she had been abused by her caregiver, who seemed to be more interested in her
child care grant than caring for Lindiwe. As a result of this information the
Committee could intervene and they placed the teenager with another family,
while they also reported the caregiver to the police, who are now investigating
her. (Real story)

Lindiwe’s case is a perfect example of the KwaZulu-Natal Education
Department’s response to the impact of HIV and AIDS on our schools.

Realising that schools play a crucial role in supporting children, the
KwaZulu-Natal Education Department, in partnership with the Royal Netherlands
Embassy RNE) and Media in Education Trust (MiET), launched the “Schools as
Centres and Support Programme” on 9 February 2006 at the Ezinqoleni Education
centre, Port Shepstone.

The overall goal of the strategy is to reduce the negative impact of poverty
and HIV and AIDS in school communities through empowering them to develop
appropriate responses, and to create child-friendly and safe schools. The
primary objective is to enable schools often the strongest and most stable
institutions in these communities to individually and collectively (in
clusters) develop and implement strategies for improving care to all children
in their midst, particularly those who are affected by HIV and AIDS.

Through the programme, communities will be empowered to access and use a
range of services and resources that are potentially available. In addition to
addressing the issues of poverty and HIV and AIDS, the KwaZulu-Natal Department
of Education is using the model to realise the goals of Inclusive Education as
stated in White Paper 6. The focus of Inclusive Education is to tackle barriers
to learning and development that any learner might encounter in a life-long
learning career.

The Royal Netherlands Embassy, who will be spending R84m over four years on
the project, ending in 2009, has funded the support programme. It will be
implemented by the Media in Education Trust (MiET) and be managed by the
KwaZulu-Natal Education Department.

Each of the 728 schools that have been targeted in the four-year programme
will be assisted
* to develop a vision for their schools as centres of care and support;
* to develop and implement an HIV and AIDS policy;
* to set up peer education programmes; to integrate HIV and AIDS in the
curriculum;
* to equip teachers with counselling skills and to care for themselves and
those around them.
* school management team members will be equipped to lead a school that is a
centre of care and support.

School and cluster communities will also be equipped to care for orphans and
vulnerable children by:
* conducting an audit of orphans and vulnerable children;
* providing information on available support services and resources;
* building the capacity of cluster and school support structures;
* identifying the most appropriate care for orphans and vulnerable
children;
* providing programmes for orphans and vulnerable children;
* conducting home-based care visits;
* and ensuring food security through the establishment of school food
gardens.

The capacity building programme for schools and communities include
meetings, workshops on peer education, counselling, nutrition, child care
strategies, first aid, food gardens, support for child headed households

“OUR SCHOOLS MUST BE BEACONS OF HOPE IN A SEA OF UNCERTAINTY. The doors of
quality and relevant education must be opened to all our people. With this
programme our schools will be turned around in centres of care and support,”
says KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Ina Cronjé.

The MEC thanked the Royal Netherlands Embassy for their valuable
contribution to education in KwaZulu-Natal and praised the partnership between
the Royal Netherlands Embassy, MiET and the KZN Education Department. “Together
we can make a difference in our schools and communities.”

She also used the opportunity to thank other donors, who made the pilot
project possible and contributed towards the holistic school and community
initiative.

Enquiries:
Christi Naude
Tel: (033) 355 2450
Cell: 083 262 8829

Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
9 February 2006