Teachers back to school to help curb violence at schools

02 September 2015 - 16:02 By Sipho Masombuka

The Department of Basic Education is set to send teachers back to school to be trained in values‚ human rights and citizenship in an effort to curb the scourge of violence in South African schools. The department said on Wednesday the training would take place through universities‚ with a specific focus on teachers of Life Orientation.This follows recent comments by Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga regarding the importance of Life Orientation in helping learners to engage the issues and attitudes that often lead to violence.The department said since April this year it had overseen the implementation of the National School Safety Framework for Safer Schools‚ as an expansion of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme‚ in partnership with the Centre of Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) and supported by the United Nations International Children’s Fund.“This programme seeks to enhance school culture by improving school management and classroom practice‚ and includes the promotion of essential rights and values. It has been piloted with great success in several provinces and will now reach all schools‚” spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said.He said it was acknowledged that there had been recent disturbing examples of school violence‚ as well as widespread public support for action‚ as evidenced by the online campaign signed by more than 25‚000 people.According to Motshekga‚ addressing school violence was the responsibility of all. “Together‚ we can make a difference in the lives of young people within our educational institutions‚ and the department is committed to playing a leadership role‚" she said.The minister said a key part of the solution was the improvement of the Life Orientation Curriculum‚ including better training that equipped teachers for success."We also need school cultures that value Life Orientation and serve to combat violence‚ hence the national expansion of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme initiative‚" she said.One of the department’s major priorities was providing school environments that protected learners at all times.An inter-branch committee within the department had recently been established to oversee the improvement of Life Orientation over the next five years‚ and work had begun on creating higher quality open source Life Orientation textbooks. In addition‚ the department had committed itself to working with the CJCP to conduct further investigations into the full extent of school violence. This would ensure that all necessary steps would be taken to protect‚ nurture and empower the youth."Furthermore I call on all parents to embrace their responsibility as their children’s primary caretakers and role models. The home is where values such as compassion‚ tolerance and respect – and associated behaviour – are learnt and reinforced‚" the minister said.Motshekga acknowledged that teachers and other stakeholders in the education system often did admirable work in guiding and developing learners in schools‚ but said parents and other caregivers must also take active charge of their roles in raising their children to become responsible and caring citizens."I have faith that all our methods will ultimately succeed and I sincerely thank the many teachers‚ principals‚ parents and other education stakeholders‚ who demonstrate patriotic and unwavering dedication to ensure our children’s wellbeing is protected‚" she said...

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