As part of the build up to the historic School and Campus Safety Summit to be held on 11-14 July 2017 at the University of the Western Cape in Bellville, the Deputy Minister of Police Bongani Mkongi recently convened a meeting with his colleagues the Deputy Minister of Basic Education Enver Surty and the Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana in Cape Town.
The triumvirate of Deputy Ministers discussed the challenges faced by schools, colleges and universities in various communities nationwide. The consultative meeting agreed on the need to develop a common protocol between the SAPS and the institutions of learning as well as to develop a School and Campus Safety Framework that will be equally applied in the entire education sector from pre-school to tertiary institutions.
The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) recent National School Violence Study shows that that 15.3% of children at primary and secondary schools have experienced some form of violence while at school, most commonly threats of violence, assaults and robbery. On the other hand, most colleges and university have experienced an upsurge in violent campus crimes, including killing, rape and assault of students.
Whilst the Ministry of Police will take the lead to invest in the improvement of safer and crime-free schools and campuses, the Deputy Minister of Police believes that it is the collective efforts of the institutions of learning and the community that will ultimately eliminate crime from schools and campuses.
According to the Deputy Minister of Police, Bongani Mkongi, “Learners, students, educators, school management, parents and the community should play an active role to ensure that children and the youth acquire learning in a non-violent, safe and peaceful environment”.
Click Here for the School Safety Framework.
