AS the country celebrated Youth Day on June 16, a tribute to the school learners who lost their lives during the June 16, 1976 uprising in Soweto is an opportune time to consider the safety of our own youth in 2019, particularly in light of the recent stabbing at Forest High School in Gauteng.
“Safety is a priority for all, especially for teenagers and young adults who are vulnerable to crime,” said Charnel Hattingh, national marketing and communications manager at Fidelity ADT.
The events which unfolded at Forest High are sadly not new and point to the fact that schools in South Africa are becoming more violent and dangerous for both teachers and learners. Last year the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, admitted that the 2018 spate of stabbings and attacks at learning institutions across South Africa was cause for major concern.
Hattingh said they regularly conduct routine educational sessions or searches at schools to empower learners to say no to drugs and violence.
“Parents and educators all play a vital role in encouraging communication and clamping down on both substance abuse as well as the carrying of dangerous weapons by learners at schools,” she said.
She applauded the most recent initiative by the Sandton SAPS who this month will be launching a Youth Desk aimed at improving communication between young people and the police. The Youth Desk will identify safety challenges and develop and implement relevant projects to address these challenges. Key programmes will focus on education and skills development, alcohol and drug abuse, peer pressure and gangs, among others.
She provides the following advice for Youth Month:
• Monitor your child or teenager’s social media feeds to protect them from predators and bullies.
• Educate your children about the dangers and risks associated with taking drugs.
• Stamp out the carrying of any type of weapon which could cause harm.
• Instill an ethos of zero tolerance to violence and drugs.
• Encourage free and open communication among your teenagers so they feel empowered to talk about issues and report abuse.
Compiled on behalf of Fidelity ADT by Cathy Findley PR
