Mr Barry Volschenk and EMDC officials
Representatives of our sister departments in Health, Social Services, Justice, Community Safety and the South African Police Services
Members of NGO's, Private Welfare and Community Based Organizations
Members of the Principal's Forums
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
Behavioural and discipline problems amongst learners at some of our schools impact negatively on the culture of learning and teaching. The challenge facing our schools cannot be dealt with in education alone, and requires an integrated response guided by partnerships at local and provincial level.
The escalating prevalence of learners presenting behavioural problems demands effective multi-sectoral collaboration. In supporting school principals and educators in their endeavours to lead learners in reaching their full potential, it is necessary to have clarity on the services available and how to access it.
This conference is therefor aimed at constructing a network of social services to school communities. And therefor I am very happy with the presence of our colleagues from our sister departments.
By now all of us are aware of the findings of a report by the Human Science Research Council, published in March this year, which indicated that up to 55% of teachers considered leaving the profession, and quite a large number indicated that violence was a mean reason for this. It is frightening but not surprising that the Western Cape topped the list.
I am very worried about a perception among some of our educators, that since corporal punishment was banned, discipline in schools has collapsed completely and that learners are exploiting the "powerlessness" of teachers.
Here in the Western Cape we have a unique situation with the existence and flourishing of gangs in our communities. Our educators on the Cape Flats have to work under the constant fear of gangsters and criminal syndicates intimidating them, and this has a negative psychological impact on them and on our children.
Some schools are being subjected to severe trauma almost on a daily basis, because of gangsters invading the premises, brandishing fire-arms in view of the learners, and taunting educators.
The challenges of building safer learning environments for all our children are huge, and we get constant reminders of the need to speed up our efforts and initiatives to help make this a reality.
This year saw a series of traumatising events in and around our schools, which included the hostage of 10-year-old Kevin Arendse; the killing of 17-year-old Marewaan Blankenberg; a teacher being assaulted in her classroom in full view of the learners; another pregnant being kicked in the stomach; the invasion of a school by armed thugs, and the list goes on.
Although it is not in our province, but I saw a media report in this week, that in the Free State a study found that almost a quarter of the teachers in schools there have been assaulted by learners; 33,4% have been verbally abused and 18,1% have been sexually harassed.
In recent weeks, one of our Safe Schools Coordinators dealt with a conflict situation involving a 14-year-old Cape Flats high school boy. This boy is suspected of having access to money, and possibly guns and drugs. His family structure has collapsed, his parents separated, and his father an alleged drug lord.
This has a direct influence on his behaviour and how he relates to his fellow learners. This is a reality on the Cape Flats, where such learners involved in conflict situations regularly call in their father's gangster friends to enforce their supremacy. And so, I am sure there are many other examples.
I have recently visited several schools, and heard teachers complained that they had to spend the first fifteen minutes of each class just trying to bring the learners to order. Increased aggression amongst learners is ascribed to the increased usage of the drug "tik".
We know that drugs have devastating consequences not only for the user, but also for the families and the broader community. Drug abuse contributes to crime, domestic violence, family disintegration and social problems.
Teachers often complain that they find it difficult to attend to disciplinary issues and at the same time deliver the curriculum. For this reason I am hoping that the appointment and deployment of Learner Support Officers to some schools, will assist with creating a conducive climate.
Violence and the fear that accompanies it can only be overcome by prevention. It is a long-term cure and can only be made possible through strong community links and other strategies designed to address complex system-wide problems.
And therefore our Safe Schools Programme strives to create centres of excellence with strong community links, quality learning and teaching and effective management and governance, and in so doing, combat the root causes of crime, violence and devious behaviour.
Our Safety Programme has a three pronged strategy, which is securing the environment through fencing, alarms, mesh wire, razor wire, signs, etc.
Secondly - addressing behavioural problems of learners; and thirdly - beefing up the systems and operations of the school through leadership and management training, organisational development training, community relations, effective governance, curriculum innovation, and identifying and assisting learners at risk.
The programme seeks to support, modify or influence parent, educator or learner behaviour through conflict management, trauma counselling, human rights lessons, intervening with learners at risk, peer counselling programmes, entrepreneurial training and sport and cultural activities.
I think our Safe Schools Programme is staffed by committed members who are doing well in the face of severe odds. I have therefor committed myself to review the programme to strengthen it.
I hope that with this meeting we can create a better understanding of service delivery amongst the different role players, and the policies and procedures on which services are based.
We should all know what programmes are available and how to deal with the different problems, and the criteria for access to the programs. The aim is also to identify deficiencies in the present system and determine a Modus Operandi for the future.
The model for networking established here today will be refined by this EMDC and will be used as a model for service delivery in the different circuits or educational areas. We certainly hope that this will lead to a more comprehensive support system to schools and their communities in general.
The primary outcome will be to build a strong, continuous collaborative working relationship between the WCED and service providers in the field of service delivery with regard to learners with behavioural problems.
Ladies and Gentlemen: I know this summit is not meant to provide answers to the myriad of social and behaviour problems experienced by our schools. But I am hoping that some kind of discussion on the extent, occurrence and nature of behavioural problems exhibited by learners, can give us some pointers to some solutions.
If indeed we are going to be able to build this province as a Home for All, we will not only proper values and attitudes to guide our learners, but also the institutional arrangements to deal with challenges facing our schools.
I thank you
For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi: 082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.
Media Secretary
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za
INtshona Koloni - iKhaya loMntu wonke
Die Wes-Kaap - 'n Tuiste vir Almal
