Eldorado Park parents and learners demand stronger school security

The Eldorado Park SGB Forum, comprising existing school governing bodies in Eldorado Park, is calling on the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) to redeploy security personnel at schools to curb bullying, gang violence and substance abuse.

On October 15, the forum led a School Safety Awareness March. SGB members, parents and learners from several schools, including Eldomaine High School (EHS), Silver Oaks High School, Lancea Vale Secondary School and Eldridge Primary School, attended.

They marched from the Eldorado Park Stadium to the Ext 3 BP Garage, chanting, ‘All lives matter’, while carrying placards.

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Forum spokesperson Charis Pretorius said the GDE’s interventions felt more like tick-box exercises than real solutions, adding that it had its own activations at schools. However, she criticised the department for entering schools with a camera crew while dealing with minors.

She further noted that the activation at EHS lasted only 20 minutes, adding that it was unacceptable because the activation did not search all the learners.

“How many incidents have we had of stabbings, shootings at schools and learners used by drug dealers to bring substances onto school properties?

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“The focus should be on restoring proper security at schools and ensuring that the department and the SAPS take meaningful action against drug dealers and kingpins instead of staging short-term activations,” said Pretorius.

She said the department must work with principals, SGBs and parents if safety in schools is to improve.

“We are challenging principals to come on board because this is about the lives of our children.

“The department continues to divide and conquer, helping one school while neglecting others, which prevents unity in our education community,” she said.

She added that the SGB Forum’s march was not politically motivated but a united call for learner safety.

The department continues to operate at a distance from the daily realities faced by schools, she added.

“They come into our schools and dictate, but do not spend enough time to understand the real challenges our educators and learners deal with daily,” she said.

The SGB is concerned that drugs and weapons continue to make their way into schools despite SGB members doing morning searches.

“If learners are searched daily, how are knives and substances still finding their way inside? These are questions we keep asking,” she said, adding that the problem is deeply rooted in the community’s socio-economic struggles.

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“Many of our children are vulnerable; some bring substances to school because they are used or paid by dealers. It is a symptom of unemployment, poverty and a system that is failing them,” she said.

Pretorius added that the forum plans to regroup and strengthen partnerships to push for real change.

“This march is just the beginning. We will bring more stakeholders on board because this fight is not about one school or one person; it is about protecting every child in every classroom,” she concluded.

The Soweto Urban contacted the GDE for a comment and will publish the response once received.