While the Gauteng Department of Education's focus in on teaching and learning, the department says these plans continue to be interrupted by incidents of crime, bullying, gangsterism, vandalism, drug and alcohol abuse.
Speaking during the Ekurhuleni school safety imbizo in Tsakane on Saturday, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane said these incidents have a negative impact on teaching and learning.
The community-driven conversations during izimbizo aim to address critical safety concerns, while strengthening collaboration between local stakeholders, educators and students.
The first imbizo was held earlier in November in Kliptown, Soweto, where the department discussed several safety issues, calling for strong partnerships between schools and parents
"In order to curb these incidents, the department has put in place various measures. These include securing access into schools, search and seizures, deployment of security guards, recruitment and deployment of patrollers, as well as partnering with community structures and law enforcement agencies.
"However, despite these interventions, I continue to receive reports - in fact - disturbing reports of violence, bullying, arson, vandalism, and several other reports," Chiloane said.
Talking to parents, pupils and community members in Tsakane, Chiloane said they have identified about 55 high risk schools in the region, where some of these incidents take place.
He said there are gang groups within the schools, with names such as Boofs, Gailos, Nkabination and Amabutho, among others.
Chiloane said they have also identified issues of ongoing conflicts between School Governing Bodies and local communities over self-built projects; and increasing fights reported among learners, requiring immediate attention, and substance abuse challenges.
The MEC emphasised that it is important to recognise that schools are reflections of the communities surrounding them, and what occurs in these communities inevitably influences what happens within schools.
He said peaceful communities tend to foster safe schools, while those marked by violence often see similar behaviours manifest in their educational environments. In such cases, he said, learners may bring dangerous items like knives, machetes and even firearms to school.
"It is against this background that we must develop strategies to protect our schools from the social challenges impacting our communities. We must acknowledge that issues like violence and substance abuse cannot coexist with a healthy, conducive environment for learning and teaching.
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"Today as we gather here to identify the challenges, we must with the same vigour think creatively to come up with permanent and lasting solutions to these challenges," Chiloane said.
The MEC told the gathering that there are intervention strategies in place, which include parental and community engagement, safety and security training, and educational and awareness programmes.
Food poisoning incidents
Over the past weeks, the department and the schooling community have been deeply impacted by tragic food poisoning incidents, which have left several children dead.
The MEC said at the time of preparing his report, a learner from Dumezweni Primary School passed away, with two others in the ICU.
As a result, he said the department had to act in the best interest of the learners by temporarily suspending the sale of food. However, they were also mindful of the potential adverse effect on informal traders and small businesses. The department has now lifted the ban.
The MEC emphasised that all traders and businesses must ensure that the food they sell is safe for consumption, and also secure the necessary permits from municipal offices.
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Chiloane also urged traders to avoid selling repackaged or expired food - both perishable and non-perishable items.
"The department has issued a memo as well as regulations, guidelines and standard operating procedures that must be adhered to. These documents are critical in ensuring the safety and well-being of our learners, and should be consulted regularly. This issue is about learner safety," he said.
