Latest news with #SafeSchoolsProtocol
The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Officials suspended over stalled repairs at Noordgesig Secondary
Officials accused of failing to complete post-fire upgrades as department launches investigation. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has suspended two Infrastructure Unit inspectors over alleged failures to complete urgent repair work at Noordgesig Secondary School in Soweto. The department took swift action on Wednesday, suspending the officials tasked with overseeing reconstruction efforts after a fire severely damaged the school on June 27, 2024. Repairs not completed 'The department had allocated funds for urgent repairs and reconstruction work,' the GDE said in a statement. 'However, it is suspected that repairs might have not been completed, and some of the committed upgrades are suspected to have been partially done or not carried out at all.' According to the department, the suspended inspectors were responsible for monitoring and managing the project. Their suspension follows concerns raised about the state of the school infrastructure nearly a year after the fire. ALSO READ: School closes Friday for three-week break: Educational activities to keep kids busy Internal probe launched The GDE confirmed it has launched an internal investigation to uncover the full facts surrounding the failed repairs. 'We will announce the outcome of said investigation once it has been completed,' the department stated. Last year, the fire disrupted learning and raised urgent safety concerns among the school community. In response, the department committed to a series of upgrades to restore functionality and ensure a safe learning environment. The GDE said it remains committed to ensuring accountability and restoring the school infrastructure. 'Subsequently, we will announce the outcome of said investigation once it has been completed,' it concluded. ALSO READ: Here's how many Gauteng schools damaged by fire have been repaired Fire-damaged schools still need repairs Furthermore, Education MEC Matome Chiloane, in a written response posed in the legislature, confirmed that 29 schools had been damaged by fire since the 2021-22 financial year. Of these 29 schools, six have been repaired by the GDE at a cost of R9.3 million, roughly one per year at an average cost of R15 million per project. However, an additional 10 schools were fixed using funds made available by insurance companies, School Governing Body donations or private sponsors. 13 schools still need repairs and have been handed over to another government department. 'It must be noted that damages were of such a nature that it required extensive work to be done in the affected schools,' stated Chiloane's response. 'In this regard, the work was referred to the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development for implementation,' it explained. NOW READ: Schools or war zones? Ministers unveil 'Safe Schools Protocol' to end violence
Eyewitness News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
'No hotspots': Mchunu promises to heighten police visibility at SA's problem schools
Ntuthuzelo Nene 25 June 2025 | 5:09 South African Police Service (SAPS) Department of Basic Education (DBE) Police Minister Senzo Mchunu (left) and Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube (right) at the launch and signing of the Safe Schools Protocol in Cape Town on 24 June 2025. Picture: Ntuthuzelo Nene/EWN CAPE TOWN - Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has said police visibility around some of the problematic schools in the country will be heightened. Mchunu was speaking at the signing and launch of the Safe Schools Protocol in Cape Town on Tuesday. It's a working agreement between the South African Police Service and the Department of Basic Education to curb the escalating violence in and around some schools in the country. ALSO READ: • Mchunu vows culprits caught extorting schools, attacking teachers will face the music • SA schools won't continue being crime scenes: Ministers Gwarube, Mchunu Teachers being forced to pay money for protection, stabbings and shootings of learners and teachers on school premises, these are just some of the realities experienced at several schools situated in so-called crime hotspot areas. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said this must come to an end. "No hotspots and that's our attitude; there must be no hotspots in South Africa. All spots must be cool and if they are not cool, they must be made cool, and police are there to do so. Nobody wants to live in a hotspot," said Mchunu. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said: "We are tired of having our schools as places not of learning and teaching but as hotspot areas of crime." Police will be deployed to patrol around the 283 schools identified as problematic areas and conduct search and seizure operations if and when there's suspicion of wrongdoing.
IOL News
11 hours ago
- IOL News
New Safe Schools Protocol aims to combat violence in classrooms
During a media briefing Basic Education Minister , Siviwe Gwarube, and Police Minister Senzo Mcunu said rude and violent learners will no longer be tolerated in classrooms. Image: Genevieve Serra/Independent Newspapers Going back to basics to where rude or violent learners inside the classroom will not be tolerated, and protecting teachers and vetting them against the sexual predators list. There are the strategies put forward, following the joint launch of the Collaborative Implementation Protocol on School Safety by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, together with Minister of Police Police, Senzo Mchunu, on Tuesday. The Safe Schools Protocol aims to tackle the alarming rates of violence, crime, and insecurity prevalent in schools. SAPS data for the 2023/24 financial year highlighted 28 murders within basic education institutions, with nearly half occurring in KwaZulu-Natal and 46% involving learner-on-learner violence. Additionally, two-thirds of reported rapes in schools involved learner-on-learner violence, while over 11 000 burglaries were recorded. The protocol is set to emphasise shared responsibility, integrating stakeholders such as civil society organisations, parents, school governing bodies, and learners into the safety ecosystem. Mchunu said they identified 283 schools nationally that were located in hotspots and that visible policing would be beefed-up in those communities. He said SAPS would also build a relationship with the school body. Gwarube outlined five key commitments to the safer schools strategy, which aimed at strengthening safety for both learners and teachers. She said each school would be connected with its local police station and be supported by a School Safety Committee which will be comprised of the principal, School Governing Body and a police officer. A crime prevention programme is expected to be rolled-out to focus on gender based violence and to cyber bullying, among others. Police will also be deployed at hotspot schools, while the process of vetting will be improved and the National Sexual Offenders Registry made available. Gwarube said principals would be educated on what to do next when there was an incident of violence or whether a teacher was found to be on the wrong side of the law. The media raised the question that teachers were becoming victims of learners and they were even being extorted.
eNCA
20 hours ago
- eNCA
Education minister launches safe schools protocol
PRETORIA - The Ministers of Police and Basic Education are teaming up to launch the "Safe Schools Protocol" initiative in Cape Town. WATCH | Parents demand report on irregular use of Tsebe-Ntlha Primary School's funds It aims to resolve a long standing problem of violence and bullying in schools. Elijah Mhlanga, Basic Education Spokesperson joins us from Cape Town unpacks more details on how this relationship will work with eNCA.
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Safe schools or war zones? Ministers unveil plan to end violence
According to the two ministers, the protocol formalises direct links between schools and their nearest police stations. The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube together with the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu launching the Safe Schools Protocol. Picture: X/@DBE_SA The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and South African Police Service (Saps) launched the revised Safe Schools Protocol on Tuesday, signalling a renewed and urgent effort to curb rampant crime and violence in schools. Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu jointly unveiled the Collaborative Implementation Protocol in Cape Town, pledging to create safer, child-friendly learning environments amid shocking statistics of violence. 'The 2023-24 financial year saw 28 murders in basic education institutions, nearly half in KwaZulu-Natal, with 46% involving pupil-on-pupil violence. Two-thirds of reported rapes also involved pupils as both perpetrator and victim,' explained Gwarube. Mchunu called the protocol a 'shared commitment' and said it was more than just a document. 'For education to thrive, safety must be a given, not a privilege. 'Bullying, drug use, and sexual abuse have become prevalent and are breeding grounds for further criminality,' Mchunu said. Key measures in the protocol According to the two ministers, the protocol formalises direct links between schools and their nearest police stations. Each school is expected to form a functional safety committee that involves representatives from the police, teachers, and the governing body. 'We're introducing school-based crime prevention programmes, visible policing in hotspot areas, and regular safety audits. 'We'll also tighten compliance with laws regulating liquor outlets near schools and improve the vetting of staff,' said Gwarube. ALSO READ: WATCH: Video of pupil allegedly assaulted by KZN police during protest under investigation Five commitments to safer schools Gwarube outlined five key commitments at the heart of the revised protocol: Formal school-police links: Every school will be connected to a local police station, supported by a School Safety Committee comprising the principal, a staff safety officer, an SGB member, and a designated Saps officer. Crime prevention programmes: Schools will roll out in-house education campaigns targeting gender-based violence, bullying, gangsterism, alcohol and drug abuse, and weapons possession. Visible policing: Officers will be deployed around high-risk schools during busy periods like morning arrivals and afternoon dismissals. Victim-friendly spaces: The protocol mandates the creation of victim-friendly rooms and community response forums to better support vulnerable pupils. Staff vetting: All teaching and non-teaching staff will be vetted against the National Register for Sexual Offenders and the Child Protection Register. ALSO READ: SA pupils grab first place at Pan African Mathematics Olympiad Shared responsibility and urgency Both ministers emphasised the need for community involvement. 'Schools cannot do this alone. The police cannot do this alone. Safety is a community effort. We need buy-in from parents, pupils, SGBs, and civil society,' Gwarube stated. Mchunu said the Saps will continue to intensify visibility and integrate its existing Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy (ICVPS) into school policing efforts: 'Policing is not a one-department responsibility. Parents must be active participants in the fight against crime, starting in their homes. 'We're building capacity at police stations and engaging directly with pupils, especially around gangsterism, bullying and substance abuse,' said Mchunu. ALSO READ: School closes Friday for three-week break: Educational activities to keep kids busy 'Agents of change' In closing, both ministers acknowledged that violence in schools reflects broader societal breakdowns: poverty, inequality, and unemployment. Gwarube called on pupils, teachers and police officers to become agents of change. 'We know the burden [teachers] carry, being extorted in Nelson Mandela Bay, crossing gang-ridden streets in Mannenburg and Gugulethu. We stand with you.' 'Our children will look to you (police officers) not only for protection, but for inspiration. Go out there and protect our schools,' she concluded. NOW READ: Here's how many Gauteng schools damaged by fire have been repaired
