Question NW454 to the Minister of Basic Education

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06 September 2019 - NW454

Profile picture: King, Ms C

King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(1)Which schools in the Republic have been declared hotspots for crime and violence; (2) whether there are any interventions to curb crime and violence at the specified schools; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. See the attached list of schools declared as hotspots for the 2018/19 financial year.

Province

No of Schools

KwaZulu-Natal

202

Western Cape

147

Free State

90

Limpopo

22

Gauteng

251

Northern Cape

40

Eastern Cape

99

North West

80

Mpumalanga

414

TOTAL

2 345

2. The National School Safety Framework (NSSF) remains the Department of Basic Education (DBE) strategic response to school violence;

  1. It is a comprehensive approach that coordinates and consolidates all school safety interventions in the sector;
  2. It is based on a social ecological systems model which locates the school within its broader community;
  3. It relies on collaboration and partnership; and
  4. The INSPIRE framework provides further granularity to the NSSF focusing on seven (7) areas: Implementation and law enforcement; Norms and values; Safe environments; Parent and care-giver support; Income and economic strengthening; Response and support services; and Education and Life Skills.

The DBE also supports provinces to implement a number of interventions in response to crime and violence in schools; including for example:

  1. Strengthening the School Safety Committees through training to adequately respond to the challenges school face;
  2. Bullying prevention programmes roll-out in Eastern Cape
  3. Anti-gangsterism joint intervention programme with South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Northern Education Region – Port Elizabeth;
  4. In partnership with SAPS, searches and seizures are randomly held to seize dangerous weapons in school campuses;
  5. Moral rejuvenation seminars held in all North West Education districts in partnership with the QLTC in the Office of the Premier;
  6. District Safety Coordinators trained on Protocols on prevention of Corporal Punishment and Sexual Abuse and Harassment of leaners in schools;
  7. After the National Summit on School violence hosted by Minister in 2018, five provinces (Gauteng, North West, Free State, Western Cape and Eastern Cape) have convened provincial summits to roll-out the Declaration and implementation of the recommendations to enhance safe learning environments and instil a culture of respect and discipline among leaners and educators.

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