NATIONAL NEWS - Violent and abusive behaviour has no place in our schools. This is the message Brian Schreuder, head of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), brought across in a press release on 19 February.
He said that learner discipline in schools remains a big concern for the department. “Physical or verbal abuse will simply not be tolerated and I have taken a strong stance on this.” Learners and their individual rights must be central to what happens in every school.
Schreuder says this serves as a warning to all the learners in the province to respect their schools, fellow learners and educators. “I appeal to all communities, parents, teachers and schools to take hands to keep our schools safe and places of learning.”
Gangsterism is a major concern. “It is a threat that is not always visible or known to educators or fellow learners, however, it is a threat that can flare up suddenly and can often lead to dangerous and violent circumstances.”
At a high school in this province, a violent fight erupted last year, allegedly as a result of gang rivalry within the community.
“What transpired was truly shocking. Learners were chasing each other with weapons ranging from pangas, knives and scissors. Two learners were stabbed and others were physically wounded.”
He says it is concerning hat this fight seems to have been orchestrated as learners had hidden weapons on the school premises. The fight involved 14 learners from various grades.
The learners were suspended and faced a disciplinary hearing. The governing body recommended the expulsion of the 14 learners. “When I received the file I was saddened by what I read,” said Schreuder.
Schools are public spaces and in terms of the Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools, 2001, as amended, the National Minister of Basic Education declared all public schools as drug free and dangerous weapon free zones.
“We simply cannot and will not accept this kind of behaviour in our schools. Based on the evidence at hand, I have therefore made the decision to uphold the recommendation to expel all 14 learners. Last year I upheld the recommendations to expel 132 learners in the province, 41 cases related to violent behaviour or assault.”
Schreuder said our schools are places where learners should “enter to learn and leave to serve”. “I would also like to warn all learners that tougher action will be taken in future against repetitive bullying in our schools. Schools must please ensure that their codes of conduct also apply to online learner activity when it comes to social media bullying.“
He wants schools to implement disciplinary action should learners transgress their codes of conduct.
“I will not hesitate to make a decision that is in the best interests of the other learners and educators of the school when it comes to an individual being found guilty of dangerous, violent and offensive behaviour. Our schools must be places of learning and nothing else.”
The WCED will continue to provide workshops and programmes in anti-gangsterism and substance abuse, cyber-wellness and values-driven initiatives through their Transform to Perform Strategy.
“Our Transform to Perform Strategy aims to promote positive behaviour in schools with a growth mindset and values-driven approach to one’s peers and educators.”
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