SADTU launches campaign to make schools safer at Lakeview Primary
The event was also attended by members of the SAPS, the department of education, parents and community leaders.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has launched a nationwide campaign against bullying in schools, vandalism, and to ensure the safety of both learners and teachers.
On Monday, SADTU teamed up with Brands South Africa, UNICEF and Old Mutual to officially launch the initiative in Soweto, at the Lakeview Full Service Primary School. The ‘I am A School Fan’ initiative was proposed back in 2019 with the aim to curb the rise of violence in schools.
General Secretary of SADTU, Mugwena Maluleke said communities would play an important role in the initiative.
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“Being a school fan is simply about making sure that nothing happens to a school close to you. It is important that we go back to communities because these are the people that must become the protectors of our schools. If the schools are protected, we know that our future is protected. Schools belong to communities and it is communities that can ensure that when our kids are at schools they are in a safe, conducive environment and that our teachers are safe as well.”
The event was also attended by members of the SAPS, the department of education, parents and community leaders. Ward Committee member, Sandra Xaba said the committee would collaborate with SADTU.
“We start at our primary schools and we need to groom them in a way that they are responsible and caring. I am glad that this campaign is in our community so that we stand up and say no to the crime that is happening, no to vandalism, no to the abuse of school resources. There is a necessity to prevent and combat violence in our schools. We are going to hand in hand with SADTU,” she said.
The campaign is expected to be rolled out to all nine provinces, branding at least one hundred schools in each province. It was resolved on the day that all schools should have a security safety committee that includes police officers to improve the relationships between police and schools. Lakeview Primary School already has established such a committee.
“We are very proud as a school to have been chosen as one of the schools to launch this fantastic programme. The safety of learners and staff is of the utmost importance and we need to develop that culture of schools being a healthy environment for everyone,” said Lakeview Full Service Primary School Principal, Victor Bilankulu.
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