Mpumalanga government departments have been advised to establish safety teams to ensure safety at schools.
Speaking at the School Safety Indaba in Witbank on Friday an Institute for Democracy in South Africa (IDASA) Researcher Yvette Geyer told delegates that safety teams would contribute in minimising crime at schools in the province.
Ms Geyer said the teachers only provided technical academic skills to the learners; however safety teams were vital in diverting the learners’ attention in committing crime.
She said schools should become community centres where a lot of activities took place and keeping the minds of the learners focused on their school work.
Environmental designs are critical in the education of our learners. Children want to behave like adults. They will go all out in emulating what adults do. If taverns and bottle stores are not far from the vicinity of their schools, they will want to drink just like the adults.
Learners do not just smoke dagga because they are happy. Situations in their environments lead them to misbehaving. Teachers therefore should be creative enough to inspire the learners with activities like tests, sports and art.
“Mpumalanga has beautiful mountains, take your learners out for mountain climbing, it is cheaper then organising a soccer tournament in the school,” said Ms Geyer.
She added that although corporal punishment had been abolished at schools, positive disciplines such as cleaning the windows or schools yards would have a positive impact in ensuring safety at schools.
“Crime is a manifestation of a society that is failing. The situation we face in our schools is a result of our past. We are harvesting what we planted in the past. Fighting crime even in the schools is a new struggle for liberation,” she said.
Meanwhile MEC Sibongile Manana urged the learners to stay from drugs adding that they usually misbehave because of the influence of substance abuse.
She said she was happy that some learners attended the indaba because they were the ones who would assist in ensuring safety in the schools.
She added that the resolutions from the indaba should be fully implemented in the schools.
Speaking at the same event, Mpumalanga South African Police Service (SAPS) Acting Commissioner Rex Machabi said the usual crime at schools was violence, gang activities, substance abuse, bullying and intimidation, fighting and vandalism.
The commissioner added that there were problematic schools in all Mpumalanga regions. He explained that SAPS proactive interventions such as junior station commissioner adopt a cop, captain crime stop and school safety programmes to educate learners.
The provincial department of education said they conducted the road shows to reach out to the learners. During the safety month, they have motivational talks on radio shows on safety walks and games.
Indaba was organised to establish an integrated approach in dealing with safety at schools by the Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison in partnership with the Department of Education following a recommendation by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) which visited the province in 2005.
The NCOP delegation discovered that communities complained about witchcraft, behaviour, and maintenance of the schools.
Enquiries:
Zibonele Mncwango
Tel: 013 766 4018
Cell: 072 159 1865
Issued by: Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
1 June 2009
Source: Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Mpumalanga Provincial Government (http://www.mpumalanga.gov.za/)
