Violence in schools

The issue of violence in schools was raised during the Department of Basic Education briefing on the Quarter 4 performance. Members of the Basic Education Portfolio Committee highlighted that it was unacceptable to hear that there had been shootings and stabbings in schools, and noted that that violence in schools appears to be out of control. Numerous incidents were brought up, including a recent incident from Richard’s Bay Secondary School on the KwaZulu-Natal north coast and attacks and a shooting which had taken place at schools in Bushbuckridge

Members of the Committee highlighted that school principals must make sure that the National Safety framework is being implemented. The Department agreed that more should be done to strengthen the school safety network, and it was working together with other governance bodies to create a safer space for learners. There were some arrangements that the Department had with the SAPS, where the latter could conduct random search and seizure operations. The Department has linked over 1 500 schools with the SAPS, but some of the relationships are not strong and the Department is working on improving them. It was suggested that in the longer term, the solution to curbing the violence in schools does not lie in increasing policing in the schools. Evidence suggests that increasing policing does not necessarily change the culture in the school.