Revelations at Safe Schools Indaba - parliamentary statement (25 August 2005)It was reported by the Head of Education in the province that 850 schools have been categorised according to the levels of violence and crime they are exposed to. A staggering 135 schools fell into the high risk category, and an additional 85 schools were described as extremely high risk. These 220 schools represent approximately 220 thousand pupils, who on a daily basis would experience violence and crime in or near their school.
This translates into a quarter of all schools in the Western Cape being anything but the haven of learning and nurture that they should be. Gangs and drugs, specifically the rapidly spreading Tik pandemic, are the main culprits.
The result is that many schools have become unsafe for both the pupils and the teachers, whilst criminals ran amok. These disturbing statistics indicate that a major section of the school-going population of the Province is being deprived of a proper education. The long-term implications for the upliftment of these communities can only be guessed.
The UDM repeats its call upon the Ministers of Safety and Security, Education and their provincial counterparts to develop an integrated strategy to make the province’s schools places of safety and the first step in overturning the gang culture that is threatening many communities.
