Equal Education to march for safer schools in the Cape

Equal Education (EE) members planned to march to the provincial legislature in Cape Town on Friday, despite heavy rains, to deliver a list of demands calling for heightened security at schools.

“Equalisers” (student members of EE), parents, community members and partner organisations were to gather in Keizersgracht Street in the CBD and head to the legislature, where representatives from provincial education, police and the department of community safety were scheduled to accept their memorandum.

They are demanding that the provincial education department make details of expenditure on school safety public, and ensure school safety is listed in its “10 Priorities” mandate. EE want the department to provide training to deal with violence in schools.

They further demand that police “take proactive steps to ensure that there is a SAPS representative on every school safety committee and that they actively engage with these committees”. 

Equal Education is also demanding that the department make good on a promise to establish functional safety committees at all schools.

“The legally binding deadline stipulated by the minimum uniform norms and standards for public school infrastructure — November 29 2020 — is fast approaching,” said spokesperson Jay-Dee Cyster.

“By this date, all schools must be equipped with perimeter security, including fencing, burglar proofing and security systems. The [department] has addressed fencing in its strategy to eliminate school infrastructure backlogs but has been silent on burglar proofing, providing security guards, and the installation of alarm systems — all of which are crucial for a safe learning and teaching environment.”

Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said they worked in close proximity to law enforcement and were “continuously engaging with SAPS on school safety issues”.

She noted the responsibility of the department in dealing with social problems experienced by students across the province.

“We do acknowledge that we have a role to play, specifically addressing the behaviour of our learners in terms of conflict management, substance awareness and abuse, as well as security infrastructure,” she said.

A spree of violence in schools over the last year has prompted this response, with gang violence making its way into schools.

Mamagase Nchabeleng, chair of the select committee on education and technology and sports and arts and culture, said this month that they needed police support to end the violence.

“These stabbing incidents are becoming alarmingly frequent and we cannot ignore what is playing out in front of us. While we expect the SAPS to thoroughly investigate these incidents, we call on families and communities to address these issues at home and to create spaces where learners are educated on alternative ways of addressing their anger instead of resorting to violence,” she said.