Education

The WCED is satisfied that Safe Schools is achieving its objectives and is contributing significantly to ensuring safe school environments.

The division has the following key functions:

• Crime Control – to ensure that the physical environment of each school is safe
• Crime Prevention – by encouraging positive achievement and by equipping learners, teachers and parents with the skills needed to build successful communities
• Building partnerships – to work with government, civil society and communities to deal effectively with crime and violence affecting schools, using a “whole of society” approach.

The Safe Schools Call Centre provides counselling support for learners experiencing any form of abuse and point of contact for schools needing to report incidents of crime. The Call Centre has a toll-free number, 0800 45 46 47.

Security infrastructure

Safe Schools targets 50 additional schools a year for upgrading of security infrastructure. This includes fencing [less than 35m], burglar bars, stone guards on windows and alarm systems.

Safe Schools organises short-term security and security system repairs, as required.

Youth development

Safe Schools organises special programmes for learners after school hours and during holidays.

The programmes seek to build a culture of positive achievement and include sports and cultural activities.

The division’s youth development programmes include training on peer counselling and conflict managers and substance abuse awareness programmes.

The duties of fieldworkers include running the youth development programmes and helping truants to return to school.

Partnerships

Safe Schools works with a wide range of NGOs and government agencies to provide youth development programmes.

Safe Schools also works with various agencies to mobilise community support for schools.

Policy and procedures

In terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85/1993, every school must have a safety plan that meets local requirements, and a committee responsible for implementing the plan.

Safe Schools coordinators and fieldworkers assist schools to develop these plans, as required. Schools also receive training for fire fighting, first aid and emergency controllers.

The division has developed a school safety manual that provides guidelines on school safety, and provides training as required.

Quarterly activities – example

The following statistics reflect Safe Schools activities during the first quarter of the 2014/15 financial year:

• 1 581 young people participated in after school programmes
• 8 635 young people participated in the June holiday programme
• 1 002 teachers participated in anti-bullying training
• 350 teachers participated in Health and Safety Act training
• Safe Schools helped to organise testing of 898 young people for drug usage, mainly dagga and tik. 47% tested positive. Safe Schools helped to arrange counselling and support. Fieldworkers visited 506 truants, of which 71% returned to school