GDE intervenes in school violence
As part of an intervention strategy by the Gauteng Department of Education concerning the violence in schools which include bullying, physical as well as sexual assault, a five year School Safety Strategy has been formulated.
“The GDE strongly condemns any form of violence. We also recognise that the department has a responsibility to continually work towards a school environment in which learners, educators and school principals feel and are safe,” said Education MEC, Barbara Creecy.
The Safety Strategy is expected to provide guidelines for schools and departmental officials in their work, with the department of education as of 2013 having put in place mechanisms to compile statistics of bullying and violence in schools.
The five year School Safety Plan hinges on five pillars, namely:
*Standardised school policy development and implementation;
*Psycho social support and promotion of alternative forms of discipline;
*Advocacy programmes, active law enforcement in partnerships with law enforcement agencies;
*Effective securing of the physical environments of schools.
