School Safety

The department of Basic Education (DBE) is committed to preventing, and responding to safety incidents and in so doing, creating a safe and supporting learning environment in schools.

The national school safety framework (NSSF) was, therefore, developed in order to provide an all – inclusive strategy to guide the national department as well as the provincial education department in a coordinated effort to address the violence occurring within schools.

NSSF is a document that prescribes how safety should be dealt with in all South African Schools.

FUNCTION OF SCHOOL SAFETY AS PER NSSF

  • Policy implementation.
  • Drug testing procedures and search and seizures.
  • A whole – school approach to violence prevention i.e. Safety committee, parents, learners, SGB, NGOs and other stakeholders.
  • Audit checklist
  • Reporting and recording of incidents of misconducts
  • Learner school mapping exercise
  • School Safety Action plan formulation
  • Training schools on NSSF
  • Monitoring should be done to check if implementation of NSSF is done.

PROVINCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS

  • 51 Independent Schools of Bojanala District were trained on bullying and alternatives for corporal punishment and drug testing
  • Prison alert for 4 schools in Klerksdorp that was organized by Correctional services and SAPS. During the event, motivation was done for 80 learners. Schools targeted were Vuyani Mawethu Secondary, Thuto Thebe Secondary, Klerksdorp Technical High and Klerksdorp Secondary.
  • Junior Commissioner competition was held at Potchefstroom University. These are used in the province as a platform to talk to other learners about the dangers of doing criminal activities
  • 01 September 2023 Attended Provincial Road Safety debate at Maseru in Mafikeng and did word of encouragement. Learners are given chance on debating on road safety measures and dangers of not abiding by road rules.
  • 05 September 2023 Attended RBI (Royal Bafokeng Institute) seminar for their 39 schools. Principals and 1 SGB member attended and Province presented school safety non- negotiables. Bafokeng are doing stakeholder involvement to improve safety in their 39 schools.
  • Department of Social Development organized Substance Abuse Provincial dialogue in preparation for inputs towards review of the National Drug Master Plan 2019 – 2024. Drug Master plan help schools on Acts for dealing with substance abuse. It is an add on the National School Safety Framework
  • 4 members from safety committees of 30 schools in Bojanala were trained. Participants were,1 SMT member,1 grade 9 or 10 learner,1 SGB parent component and SQLTC coordinator. Training was on NSSF and roles and responsibilities of committee members. Scenarios were given and participants were given chance to indicate how safety matters can be dealt with according to the scenarios. Scenarios included learner transport, learners bringing weapons at school and access control. Most presentations were done by learners and these presented an opportunity for learner voices to be heard.

DISTRICTS ACHIEVEMENTS AS PER NSSF

  • Districts monitored 204 schools.
  • 357 Advocacy, evacuation and safety plans done for schools
  • 163 referrals done for learners with problems
  • 24 First Aid trainings done
  • 56 Campaigns done
  • 26 Drills done in schools to indicate how to deal with evacuation during disaster matters e.g. fire
  • 25 Search and seizures done