Stakeholders grapple with school safety challenges
ALEXANDRA - Stakeholders make recommendations to government on school safety and security.
Alex education stakeholders, including members of school governing bodies, principals, the Alex Community Policing Forum, parents and representatives of the Gauteng Department of Education recently met at Realogile Secondary School to explore the challenges facing the safety of local schools.
Several schools have recently been burgled, computer equipment and other items stolen, a school security guard shot and in one instance, children chased criminals who robbed an education official from their school.
The stakeholders made recommendations for submission to the departments of education and community safety, following a recent march and petition by children to the local community policing forum and police.
They urged for a review of the current schools safety regulations said to have been drafted without their consultation, but could be improved in the interest of school security, improved teaching and learning.
They called for the urgent tackling of the problem, alleged to be caused by an organised third force similar to what happened recently in Limpopo province where close to 30 schools were burnt and vandalised.
They identified regulatory deficiencies as stemming from a blurred mandate on school safety and security at a time when the Department of Education was injecting expensive technological investment in schools which required protection. This disempowered school governing bodies on roles and powers did not clarify the powers and accountability lines for the policing forum and school management.
The forum chairperson, Benjamin Chisale said the weakness (WHICH ONE) also resulted in blame games among stakeholders in the event of problems. He said it left guards and patrollers untrained, unaccountable and without the capacity to handle problems such as drugs and dangerous weapons being brought onto school grounds.
Milton Buthelezi of the National School Governing Body urged governing bodies to develop security policies relating to their individual schools’ needs.
“Structure policies with clear working conditions and codes of conduct for the guards, patrollers and children [need to be implemented.] Use school grants to install essential security gadgets, engage specialised security agencies for backup and for effective searches,” Buthelezi urged.
He also encouraged them to also familiarise parents with the policies to help in monitoring their implementation.
The meeting recommended for various security measures including panic buttons and sensors, partnerships with private security agencies, long-term contracts for the guards and better role definition for the forum on school safety.
