Young Crime Liners launched to combat violence in schools
The Gauteng Education department has launched Young Crime Liners, an initiative to stop violence and crime in schools, the Department said on Thursday.
After recent numerous cases of violence at schools, assault and even murder, the Gauteng Department of Education launched Young Crime Liners on Thursday, an initiative to provide learners with safe and reliable tools to report crime and social issues in Gauteng schools.
Speaking at the launch at Mosupatsela Secondary School in Kagiso (West Rand) on Wednesdsay, Education MEC Barbara Creecy emphasised that crime has no place in schools. “We are here today to ensure that crime has no place in our schools. We want you learners to report any form of violence, whether it be bullying, physical and sexual assault or corporal punishment in your school,” Creecy told the learners.
She stated that the Young Crime Liners is an indication of the Department’s commitment to ensure learning and teaching takes place in a safe environment, free of violence. “The police cannot be everywhere, but you, the learners, are there and you have a lot of information about criminal activity. We hope that this initiative will empower our learners to seek help and report crime happening in our schools,” Creecy added.
The Education department has indicated that they will be rolling out the Young Crime Liners initiative school by school in Gauteng. The initiative comes in the wake of a whole horde of incidents that have been shared on social media sites over the past weeks, illustrating the high levels of bullying and other criminal behaviour in schools.
“We have seen a number of videos go viral and stories dominating headlines of a variety of crimes perpetrated by or against children at schools in the province. These range from cases of sexual abuse and bullying to drug dealing and violence. Unfortunately, these cases often go unreported with tragic consequences,” said the head of Crime Line, Yusuf Abramjee.
Pretoria was rocked recently by shocking incidents of a teacher from Willowridge High School taking pupils for penis piercings, a pupil kicking and punching a teacher from Lyttelton Manor High School and a viral video of an assault of a teenager by two fellow pupils at Hoërskool Overkruin.
The Young Crime Liners initiative is also open to parents, educators and other members of the public. “The initiative aims to find ways for us to support and guide our children when crimes are committed against
them. Children are often afraid to report certain crimes for a variety of reasons, but we are offering them a chance to speak up within a safe environment,” Abramjee added.
The initiative will be implemented at schoolsacross the province over the coming months. Pupils are encouraged to report crimes anonymously to Crime Line via SMS to 32211 or by calling Crime Stop on 08600-1011.
