Department of Education implements programmes to offset behavioural challenges
The GDE is implementing the following programmes to offset some of these challenges.
The following are answers from the Gauteng Department of Education responding to questions regarding an incident that occurred at Albertina Sisulu Special School, for severely mentally challenged learners on November 7.
1) Where did this happen and when?
Response: The incident occurred at Albertina Sisulu Special School, for severely mentally challenged learners on November 7.
2) What led to the altercation between the young man and the teacher?
Response: On the said day the school hosted the Common Wealth ambassador who visited the school to donate wheelchairs. The learner was aggrieved after the educator attempted to discipline him in the school hall during the event, as he was part of the noise makers.
3) Was the young man on drugs or had he consumed alcohol?
Response: The learner was neither drunk nor intoxicated on the day.
4) What kind of injuries did the teacher sustain in this attack?
Response: The educator sustained minor injuries from falling and medical intervention was arranged.
5) Is the young man still allowed in school? If so why?
Response: The learner is still allowed at school and due to the nature of his behavioural disability, cannot be suspended. We are facilitating a diversion programme for the learner to address his behavioural challenges.
6) Was any punishment meted against the young man? If so, what was it? If none was meted out why?
Response: Refer to the above response.
7) How is the teacher and is he back at school?
Response: The educator is well and back at school.
8) What kind of support has he received from GDE and will be still be at the same school? How long has he been at the school?
Response: The Psycho-Social Support team has been dispatched to the school to offer counselling to all affected by this incident.
9) In the department’s opinion, what makes schoolchildren attack teachers and what steps are you taking to stop these incidents?
Response: According to information at our disposal challenges from home influence the anti-social behaviour displayed by the culprits at our schools.
Other variables identified as causative factors for unacceptable learner conduct are parental neglect, absent fathers, strain of single parent families, child headed families and unfavourable conditions in communities. Simply, learner ill-discipline is a challenge.
Departmental interventions
The GDE is implementing the following programmes to offset some of these challenges:
• Parenting Workshops: These are aimed at strengthening parent/guardian involvement in supervising homework and instilling learner discipline in and outside the school environment.
• Capacitating SGBs and Principals on the Disciplinary Procedures for learners: Our Constitution requires that the rights and responsibilities of victims and perpetrators be upheld at all times and consequently an extensive disciplinary procedure must be followed in the implantation of corrective measures.
• Partnerships with Social Development and Community Safety and related NGOs: We have partnered with these departments and NGOs to access expertise that we do not have within the department to deal with most of these social ills manifesting in our schools. The approach is both proactive and reactive. (School Talks and camps to inculcate good behaviour and awareness campaigns and referrals after certain incidents)
• Camps during school holidays: The camps focus on behaviour modification for learners who have been carefully selected by their schools.
• Guided prison tours: Learners with various behavioural challenges and criminal tendencies are taken on a guided prison tour, in partnership with the Department of Correctional Services.
• Unannounced School Searches: High risk schools are targeted for these searches in partnerships with SAPS and Metro Police. Dangerous weapons, drugs and alcohol are frequently retrieved during these search and seizure operations. The expertise of trained Principals and SGBs is then applied to formally charge learners, resulting in compulsory attendance of psycho-social and related programmes.
• Safer South Africa’s Justice Programme: Learners are given exposure to how the entire Justice Programme in SA works, through interactions with the police and NPA.
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