Calls for teachers to learn first aid to ensure learners’ safety in schools and on trips

Negligence in schools continues to be a huge problem and parents are questioning teachers’ capabilities of caring for kids in schools and on school trips.

Lovely Mokoena from Johannesburg, mother of six-year-old Amkelekile, said her life was turned upside down when she received a call that her daughter fell ill at school, collapsed, and when rushed to the hospital, she was declared dead on arrival.

Mokoena said the school called her while they were taking her daughter to the hospital but did not inform her at the time she fell ill.

“I still do not understand what happened… The teacher told me the kids informed her that my daughter had collapsed on the floor and didn’t want to wake up.

“From the time she got sick and started vomiting, they were supposed to inform us, take her to a sick bay, and monitor her. They were not supposed to tell us only after taking her to the hospital.”

Mokoena said no one from the school took responsibility and she was waiting for a response report from the department of basic education (DBE) – two months since the incident.

“This is just sad and unfortunate because I do not have a daughter now and I am not given any answers,” she said.

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“Every school should understand that the first line of response is to call the parent and the right protocols should be followed.”

National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA director Basil Manuel said there could never be enough training for teachers.

He said knowing the regulations and being trained as safety officers, which includes first aid, should be a standard.

He said it was not universally done.

“The department cannot leave this to schools. If we want safety standards the DBE must take the initiative to train teachers and those being given the task to take children on excursions,” he said.

“There must be accountability within the context of pupils’ ages.

Teachers must be present and should have details of the children with them, including emergency numbers.

Only through a comprehensive investigation can one determine if there were lapses of accountability and care.”

A parent Lindiwe Mkhize from Vosloorus said there were no proper guidelines to make sure children were safe in schools and on trips.

“It’s a nightmare to think your child goes on a school trip and might end up not returning,” she said.