Schools are responsible for children’s safety
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) commented on the recent reports of children imitating dogs fighting at a primary school in Duduza.
According to Wendy Wilson from the NSPCA the children were “engaging in both real dog fighting activities outside of school hours as well as role play whilst at school”.
The GDE is not sure how long the fighting had been taking place before these cruel games came to their attention, but the district office immediately dispatched a team from the Education Support Unit to visit the school and investigate the matter.
According to GDE spokesman Phumla Sekhonyane the relevant parents, local police and the NSPCA were informed of this conduct.
In the article ‘Children in dog fights’ (Springs Advertiser, January 15) Wendy Wilson of the NSPCA claimed workshops were conducted with invitations extended to the Duduza SAPS, Social Services, Child Protection, Department of Justice, community leaders, principals and local SPCAs.
The workshops were conducted at the Duduza Police Station where members of the community, relevant stakeholders in the area, the child protection unit and the police were involved.
“An official from the prosecution unit at the Department of Justice also participated in the awareness campaign.”
While counselling was provided to all the children involved, Sekhonyane says one child was referred to a clinic school in Gauteng for intensive therapy.
The GDE believe schools have a responsibility over the safety and well-being of the children.
However, parents have an even bigger responsibility in keeping their children safe and knowing where they are and what they do at all times.
Sekhonyane adds the department is not aware of any arrests that have been made and no incidents of this nature have been reported after the initial report.
