In its efforts to ensure children’s safety in public schools, the provincial education department aims to increase police visibility by deploying officers in various institutions deemed risky.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lusufi said this during the launch of the Education Roadmap Discussion Document held at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Soweto in Johannesburg on 14 June.
The launch was attended by various education officials varying from leaners’ representatives, teachers, principals, as well as directors from various portfolios and districts.
Lesufi said the meeting in Nasrec serves as a consultative platform to gather inputs which will be formulated as part of the department’s vision for 2019–2024.
The MEC said plans are already under way to secure schools and ensure that they do away with malpractices of gangsterism, violence and bullying.
This follows the recent spate of violent crimes reported in various Gauteng schools that have left some children killed by their fellow schoolmates.
We want to do away with this thing of gangsterism in our public schools and ensure that our facilities are of learning and not violence, said Lesufi.
“If a child attacks a teacher or a learner, that child is no longer a learner and we need to deal with that child decisively.
“We are tired of your ill-behaviour and if you want to be treated as a learner you’ll be treated as such, but if you want to be treated as a criminal you’ll definitely be treated as such…and we’ll have to let you go. Each school considered risky will be assigned a police officer.”
According to the MEC, the department has a target of about 500 bullies in public schools which they will profile and bring experts to assist them.
He also said they have partnered with private companies citing Vodacom as one of them who will assist in developing cellphone emergency devices.
Lesufi explained, “We will now have a number nine key button on the phone where one [if in some kind of trouble] will press it and it will give signal to the police and/or the emergency services.”
He then urged school governing bodies to also establish disciplinary committees in their schools with competent people to help identify and fight bullying and violence in schools.
Details: www.gauteng.gov.za
Share your views about the issue of violence in schools by commenting in the story in the North Eastern Tribune Facebook page
Related article:
