Learner death a sober reminder to sharpen school safety

by Safiyia Stanfley – DA Provincial Spokesperson on Education in the Northern Cape

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Date: 19 July 2018

Release: Immediate

The Democratic Alliance in the Northern Cape conveys its sincere condolences to the family, friends and educators of the grade 10 learner from Makgolokwe Middle School in Batlharos near Kuruman who was tragically shot dead yesterday.

The death of a child is a horror that no parent should have to experience.

While circumstances surrounding the tragedy still remain unclear, it is clear that the levels of violence in the John Taolo Gaetsewe district have been steadily increasing and negatively affects schooling. This year alone, a learner from Bosele Middle School was accused of murdering a teacher in January while a learner from Bothithong High School assaulted teachers in March. In April, violence also broke out between learners from Bankara High School.

We will accordingly write to the Portfolio Committee on Education, Sport, Arts & Culture at the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature to request an urgent briefing from the Northern Cape Department of Education on school safety.

The MEC for Education, Martha Bartlett, pledged in the budget speech that training will be provided to school safety committees and that a junior commissioner project will be launched to prevent learners from indulging in criminal activities.

For learners who are not safe on school grounds, however, this promise is far too little coming far too late. Over the past two years, the department has also shown itself to be quick to talk about school safety and very slow to implement any programmes.

Schools should be havens of safety for learners and any threat of violence should be left at the school gates.

Media Enquiries

Safiyia Stanfley

DA Provincial Spokesperson on Education in the Northern Cape

084 919 4157

Tharina Whittaker

Researcher

071 251 5558