Police aim to educate children about issues affecting them
The Germiston police have been out and about educating children during Child Protection Week.
It was all about children for the Germiston SAPS this week as they celebrated Child Protection Week by teaching children about various issues affecting them.
Officers from the Germiston Police Station visited Laerskool Delville on Wednesday to talk to the children.
They were joined by volunteers from the Germiston SAPS Victim Support Centre and a representative from the Department of Social Development.
The main issue of discussion was bullying.
Capt André de Jager, the spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni West Cluster SAPS, chatted to the children about bullying and how it starts.
“It will start off as something small, like a push or the bully taking your pencil, but will get worse as time goes on,” he said.
“You must tell your teachers what is going on straight away.”
De Jager added that children do not know the medical history of their fellow learners and bullying could result in serious injury and problems for the child being bullied.
“You are here to learn, not to be bullied and you need to speak out so something can be done about it if you find yourself being bullied,” he said.
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He also mentioned gun safety to the children and encouraged them to report anyone who comes to school with a gun or any other weapon, as well as to report suspicious people near the school grounds who they see have weapons.
“If you find a gun lying around, do not touch it as guns can kill you, report it immediately to your teacher,” he said.
The children were also encouraged not to speak to strangers while walking to and from school and advised to walk in groups of two or three, never alone.
“If you are walking alone and someone tries to talk to you tell someone,” de Jager said.
“This person may be watching you and one or two days after the initial contact may try to steal you.”
He added that boys are just as much at risk as girls.
Maria van Zyl from the Germiston SAPS Victim Support Centre added to de Jager’s advice by telling the children that each and every one of them is special and they do not deserve to be bullied or hurt.
“If you are being bullied we know you are probably afraid to speak to someone, but don’t be,” she said.
“You must speak up as it is the bully who has a problem it is not you.
“You all have the right to be safe at school.”
The children were then led in a promise to themselves and others as to how they would act in the event of bullying by Jakkie Janse van Vuuren from the Germiston SAPS Victim Support Centre and told about the counseling services offered by the Department of Social Services by Sakhile Nsele and how the department could help them.
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