Education

The Department addresses substance abuse and other related topics, such as teenage pregnancy, alcohol foetal syndrome and gender-based violence, on an on-going basis in our schools.

The following topics are addressed in the Life Skills and Life Orientation curriculum:

Grade 5:

Substance abuse:

• Types of drugs used: legal and illegal drugs including tobacco, alcohol and over the counter medication.
• Negative impact of substances on health: effects of drugs on body and mind.

Grade 6:

Peer pressure – we associate alcohol use at a young age with peer pressure:

• Examples of peer pressure in different situations: school and community.
• Appropriate responses to peer pressure in different situations.

Grade 7:

Substance abuse:

• Types/ forms of substance abuse.
• Symptoms of substance abuse.
• Personal factors that contribute to substance abuse: intrapersonal and interpersonal.
• Protective factors that reduce the likelihood of substance abuse.
• Prevention measures: early detection.
• Causes of diseases: social, economic and environmental factors including use of alcohol and tobacco, poor eating habits and physical inactivity.

Grade 8:

Social factors that contribute to substance abuse including community and media:

• Appropriate behaviour to stop and avoid substance abuse: refusal and decision-making skills.
• Long- and short-term consequences of substance abuse: link to crime, violence and educational outcomes.
• Rehabilitation options: where to find help, care and support.

Grade 9:

Goal-setting skills: personal lifestyle choices

• Influence of media, environment, friends and peers, family, culture, religion and community on personal lifestyle choices.

Appropriate responses to influences on personal lifestyle choices:

• Informed decision-making skills: positive and negative influences.
• Risk factors leading to unhealthy sexual behaviour.

Health and safety issues related to violence:

• Common acts of violence at home, school and in the community.
• Reasons that violence occurs in families and communities and among friends and peers.

Challenging situations – depression, grief, loss, trauma and crisis:

• Causes of depression, grief, loss, trauma and crisis.
• Counterproductive coping techniques: using alcohol and drugs.

Grade 10

Strategies to enhance self-awareness, self-esteem and self-development:

• Factors influencing self-awareness and self-esteem including media.
• Skills such as self-awareness, critical thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, assertiveness, negotiations, communication, refusal, goal-setting and information gathering relating to sexuality and lifestyle choices.

Grade 11:

Risky behaviour and situations – personal safety, road use, substance use and abuse, sexual behaviour, risk of pregnancy:

• Teenage suicides, hygiene and dietary behaviour, sexually-transmitted infections [STIs], HIV & AIDS and peer pressure.
• Socio-economic environment: literacy, income, poverty, culture and social environment.

In addition to the curriculum, there are programmes and interventions by our Safe Schools sub-directorate and our Specialised Learner and Educator Support [SLES’ teams in the districts to address individual learner needs or group awareness at schools.

These include drug awareness programmes, and role-playing, anti-gangsterism and substance abuse workshops.

The code of conduct of each school should spell out the rules regarding learner behaviour at the school and describe the disciplinary system to be implemented by the school. Schools must highlight, in their school’s code of conduct, the Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools as they relate to the presence of illegal drugs on public school premises or on the person in contravention of these regulations. 

The Department also receives support from SAPS and Law Enforcement in terms of search and seizures, and uses various non-governmental organisations, law enforcement and individuals to advocate against substance abuse in various after-school programmes and assemblies.

Learners must understand the consequences to their actions. The Department has a zero-tolerance approach to substance abuse and the dealing of drugs in schools.