The DA in the Northern Cape says the party is concerned over the growing rate of violent incidents against students and teachers in schools. This after three separate incidents occurred where students physically assaulted each other or a teacher with deadly weapons. The DA in the province has thus called upon Northern Cape Police Commissioner Rismati Shivuri as well as the Provincial Department of Education , to form a partnership and swiftly attend to the matter. DA Provincial Spokesperson on Education in the Northern Cape – Safiyia Stafley, says these incidents have become all too common in public schools and have been a cause for attention since January, when a Kuruman-based teacher from Bosele Middle School was stabbed to death by a learner who accused the victim of failing him. “The well-being of teachers and learners should never be taken for granted.
In the Northern Cape alone, there was a near fatal stabbing inside a classroom at High School Carlton Van Heerden in Upington last week, when two learners went at each other with knives. In July this year, a 17-year old learner at Makgolokwe Middle School at Batlharos Village, was shot dead. Meanwhile, in January of this year, a teacher from Bosele Middle School was stabbed to death at his house, by a learner who accused the teacher of failing him,” Stanfley lamented. The DA is pleading with Northern Cape SAPS and the Department of Education to intervene and take a proactive stance towards school violence in the Northern Cape by providing adequate safety in schools.
Meanwhile the Northern Cape department of Education shares the DA’s concern over increasing violence in Northern Cape schools and has condemned the actions of the perpetrators in question. Departmental Spokesperson Geoffrey van der Merwe says the discplinary process into the three matters is question have begun. “The Northern Cape Department of Education is very concerned about the alarming rate at which violence in our schools is increasing. Over the past week we have witnessed three incidents (Carlton van Heerden High School, Phakane High School and De Aar High School) that occurred at schools in the Northern Cape amongst learners. Two of these incidents involved knives and the other a fist fight between girls. Fortunately, the injuries inflicted were not fatal, but could have been worse. The disciplinary processes and investigations are well underway in the three (3) respective schools,” said van der Merwe.
“It saddens us, that this is the type of behaviour displayed by learners towards one another and showcase the level of ill discipline that prevails on our school premises. Incidents of this nature impacts directly and indirectly on the emotional well-being on our learners, especially at a time when learners are busy with tests and preliminary examinations. It also impacts on the valuable learning and teaching time, as schooling is disrupted when these incidents do occur. In most cases, the incidents are gang related, which shows the type of activities learners are involved in outside the schools premises in our communities. This place much greater emphasis on the roles and responsibility of parents, to know your child’s whereabouts, provide guidance and parental support to their children and educating them to become law abiding citizens of our country,” van der Merwe added.
Van der Merwe went on to issue a a stern warning to learners and parents that the department would not tolerate any form of ill-discipline and and criminal behaviour on any of the Northern Cape’s school premises. “Learners who are found guilty of this type of behaviour will be subjected to due disciplinary processes and if need be, will be expelled from the school. We will not allow any learner to deprive a fellow learner from their right to education. It is time that we take collective responsibility for our children’s education and that they will bear the consequences of their actions. We must ensure that learners and educators go to school without fear for their lives.” Van Der Merwe cautioned.
“The Department of Education in the Northern Cape in partnership with SAPS and all relevant stakeholders are finalising the School Safety Protocol to enhance and strengthen our existing efforts in terms of schools safety. We view all our schools as centres of excellence and therefore school safety is a non-negotiable,” he concluded.
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