As part of the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) R71.6 million budget to improve safety and security at schools, secure fencing will be installed at 30 schools each year for the next five years.
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Western Cape Provincial Minister of Education David Maynier says the WCG further intends to increase the number of School Resource Officers (SROs) in schools to combat safety and crime issues.
‘This year we will find an additional 18 school resource officers, bringing the total number of officers deployed in our schools to 46,’ he adds. ‘And we will add another 18, and the year after that 18, for a total of 82 SROs in our schools.’
According to the Daily Maverick, the new officers will be stationed in crime hotspots areas in Khayelitsha, Westbank, Delft, Hanover Park and Philippi.
In addition, the WCG will provide subsidies for holiday security to 436 schools, and continue to subsidise security on an emergency basis. This year, 860 schools will receive training under the Safe Schools Programme, an initiative focused on securing the physical structure of a school, modifying and influencing parents, educators and behaviour at school, and fostering community relationships and partnerships that incorporate a holistic approach to change how the school operates in terms of safety.
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Schools that have not received the training yet will be provided with a baseline to develop the security plan training in the meantime.
‘Our district support teams implemented a variety of positive behavioural and training programme sessions on trauma-informed schools, and emotional aid training has also reached thousands of teachers across the province,’ says Maynier, adding that the programme delivered during the winter holidays, aims to provide learners with a ‘safe environment and positive activities to keep them out of harm’s way when schools closed.’
‘Someone somewhere knows who the culprits are and they need to speak up. As always, we urge the public to [immediately] report any suspicious activity in and around our schools to SAPS or the School Safety hotline (…) as this can make all the difference in apprehending the perpetrators and keeping the schools safe in the Western Cape.’
The call centre hotline for school safety can be contacted at 080 045 4647.
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