The safety of learners and teachers is at risk in many of our schools in Gauteng. This is because there is no proper school safety strategy in place. During an oversight inspection with the Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Education Portfolio Committee at Eldorado Park and Westbury Secondary Schools, several dangerous weapons were confiscated from learners.
At a school in Eldorado Park, the weapons confiscated from learners included a gun. This has traumatised some teachers and learners. During our engagement with school management, we received a report that a learner was stabbed on the school premises. It is believed that the perpetrator is a member of one of the gang groups in the area.
In addition, the parents of the learners are also being threatened by gangsters. What is disturbing is that the school is across the road from a police station. This incident would not have occurred if the police were effective and played a supportive role.
At Westbury Secondary School, the school management team showed us drugs and knives that were taken away from the learners. This is a sign that these schools are not safe. Both learners and teachers are in danger.
The department needs to engage all relevant stakeholders and provincial departments on this issue. Schools must be safe spaces where learning and teaching occur in an orderly and peaceful manner.
Drug use is also rife among our learners, but there are no effective measures in place to prevent this from happening.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) will continue to push for a proper school safety strategy to be put in place. Our schools should be safe spaces where learning and teaching take place in a conducive environment.