The Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison had a successful Safer Schools Programme in Delportshoop on Thursday, 30 May 2013.
The programme was held at Delportshoop Intermediate School following a cry for help from educators at the school about the tendency of children in the area to smoke glue even when going to school.
The programme unfolded on the backdrop of Child Protection Week with the focus on children’s safety, awareness against smoking glue, use of drugs and dangers of fires, as fire season has begun. A fire drill was done to kick-start the programme, to see how the school reacted in a case of an emergency.
Miss Dolly Mackay responsible for Special Programmes in the Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison heeded the educator’s call. The Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison’s Social Crime Prevention unit, Provincial SAPS dog unit, Delportshoop’s SAPS, Sol Plaatje Fire Department, Delportshoop’s Working With Fire and Isolabantwana Child Welfare united hands in the programme led by the department.
The programme unfolded at Delportshoop Intermediate School with an unexpected fire drill for the scholars to see how they would react in a case of an emergency. The Sol Plaatje Fire Department and Working With Fire from Delportshoop were there to oversee the fire drill and identify the school’s safety plan shortcomings, if any. An inspection was done at the school prior to the drill, to check if fire extinguishers are working and placed in accessible areas.
A few shortcomings were noted by the Sol Plaatje Fire Department and recommendations were made to the school. The fire department will also work with the school to get their safety plan on par. The school’s contingency plan will encompass four types of emergencies: bomb threat, hostage situation, hold up situation and fire situation.
The interactive programme led by Fire Department’s official Deon Botha allowed some of the learners of the school to demonstrate how they would light a candle and how they would place it while some answered questions on dangers of fires.
Botha also demonstrated to the learners and parents, who were at the school, a safe way to light a candle using a 2L plastic bottle cut in half with soil in it and candle place in the soil. The demonstration showed that should the candle fall; the soil would help extinguish the candle’s flame. He gave further tips on how to use paola (a metal container using wood or coal for fire used to keep warm or cook), safely such as opening windows.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) had a sniffer dog demonstration, leaving the learners of the school marveled at the expertise of the team. Lady, a sniffer dog, found a hidden stash of dagga with ease which the learners saw being hidden while Lady was not there.
SAPS were taught on the various types of drugs, its dangers and that it is against the law to use or be found with drugs. Focus was also given on the problematic use of glue in the area while learners asked questions with answers on hand from police officials.
Mackay of Special Programmes, said more programmes of this nature would unfold in other areas in the province and even unexpected searches in schools.
The children at the school’s interaction in the programme and curiosity in asking questions was a clear sign that the message reached them and they learned a lot of things through the programme. The Grade 7 learner’s curriculum also includes evacuation in a case of an earth quake which helped them get practical experience on how an evacuation situation would unfold.
For any clarity or enquiries, please contact:
Keitumetse Moticoe, Communication Officer
Cell: 074 251 6567 or 084 621 9768
