Gauteng Department of Education Urged to Involve Community in School Safety Measures

The Gauteng Department of Education in South Africa has faced calls to involve the wider community in their school safety programmes. Pupils have highlighted the crucial role played by the surrounding communities in keeping learning institutions safe. The department, along with the departments of social development and community safety, has implemented various safety measures targeted at 75 at-risk schools.

These measures have included the distribution of handheld metal detectors, first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, and emergency evacuation signs at high-risk schools. Fire-fighting training has also been provided, and some schools have received upgrades in security through the installation of CCTV cameras donated by Business Against Crime. These initiatives have shown positive results in improving learner behaviour and reducing cases of burglary.

In late 2023, students from several of these schools and others facing similar issues shared their thoughts on the effectiveness of these initiatives and suggested improvements. Gangsterism, drugs, and gambling were raised as significant concerns. Nkanyezi Thabethe, a pupil at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation and the regional chairperson of Cosas in Greater Johannesburg, emphasized the need for greater community involvement in school safety programs.

Thabethe described existing measures, such as patrollers, but noted that they were not working effectively. She mentioned ongoing issues of violent outbreaks, gambling, and drug possession. Thabethe stressed that safety should start within the community where the schools are located, and highlighted the need for schools to be actively integrated into the wider community. She also called on teachers to fully implement the measures put in place by the department, such as maintaining logbooks of incidents.

Another pupil, Thulani Mahlangu, the chairperson of Pan Africanist Student Organisation (Paso) in Tsakane, shared challenges faced at JE Secondary School and Geluksdal, where Paso has a strong presence. He revealed that gangsterism remained prevalent at Geluksdal, and little had been done to address the issue by the end of 2023. In contrast, Mahlangu cited positive steps taken by his own school, where community involvement and the presence of crime prevention wardens had helped mitigate gangsterism.

One of the main challenges at Geluksdal School was its poor infrastructure. Mahlangu’s account echoed the sentiment expressed by pupils in other schools that the Gauteng Department of Education should prioritize the involvement of the wider community in school safety efforts.