Child safety awareness in schools
RANDPARK RIDGE – Schools making an effort following snatcher scare.
In light of the recent child snatcher scare at Curro Aurora Private School in Sundowner, schools in the area are upping the ante in child safety awareness.
The scare occurred last month, when a red-haired woman allegedly tried to kidnap two girls aged three and five after school.
Different versions of the story and rumours of other incidents, abounded on social media but no cases were opened with the Honeydew police.
Now schools are teaching their pupils about safety to ensure pupils can be able to keep themselves safe, and know how to ask authorities for protection.
Orion College, in Randpark Ridge, held a Mr. ADT show where entertainer Darin Mcdowall taught pupils how to respond to a variety of dangerous situations, and to always being alert.
“Everyone heard about that incident,” said Orion College principal Megan Scannell.
“Schools are implementing more awareness events equiping children to deal with situations.”
She added that children need to be reminded to be vigilant and that there are people who can help protect them.
The show incorporated a significant dose of humour.
“Child safety is a serious thing,” entertainer McDowall said.
“We wanted to do it in a fun way. I think the parents would also want us to teach children in a fun way.”
Scannell also claimed children remember how to be safe better when they had fun learning it.
Teacher at the college, Alana Coutt, said since the scare therapists had recently spoken to the school’s pupils about stranger danger.
A secretary of Curro Aurora Private School, stated the school would soon discuss with the media what it has done about child safety awareness and an appointment was set with a Randburg Sun journalist.
Rand Park Primary School’s secretary said she would not discuss with the Randburg Sun the details of the school’s effort to increase child safety awareness, but said an effort has been made. She also claimed that the scare was “blown out of proportion”.
Details: Mr. ADT show 086 121 2400, Orion College 011 795 1776, Curro Aurora Private School 011 795 7100, Rand Park Primary School 011 793 7434.
