Provincial leaders in Gauteng launched a Focused Intervention Study (FIS) to investigate the escalating levels of violence within schools. The study identified key factors, including poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, and insufficient support systems, as contributors to the problem. Recommendations include increased security, improved facilities, and collaborative efforts between education, community safety, social development, and sports, arts, and culture departments.
Provincial leaders embarked on a tour of Gauteng schools in 2024, conducting unannounced visits to institutions flagged for high levels of violence. Their goal was to compile a comprehensive report, titled the Focused Intervention Study (FIS), to identify the root causes of this alarming trend and propose effective solutions.
The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) and the Department of Community Safety (DCS) collaborated on this initiative, recognizing the urgency of addressing school violence and its detrimental impact on the well-being of learners and educators. The FIS report, intended for a joint community safety and education committee, emphasizes the need for a multi-departmental approach to implement its recommendations. The study delved into the various factors contributing to school violence, ranging from the presence of dangerous weapons and substance abuse on school premises to the influence of gangsterism and tribalism, leading to bullying incidents involving both students and teachers.Basic recommendations, aimed at enhancing school safety, were outlined in the report, including random searches, increased security measures, the installation of surveillance equipment, and the establishment of a robust substance abuse policy. The GPL underscored the seriousness of the situation, stating that failure to act on these recommendations could result in escalating violence, jeopardizing the future of Gauteng learners and educators. The FIS identified ten key factors fueling violence in schools, highlighting two overarching issues that encompass all others. These critical areas include the prevalence of poverty and unemployment within communities, which often correlate with higher rates of school violence, gangsterism, substance abuse, and bullying. Additionally, the study identified a lack of adequate training and support programs for at-risk learners and insufficient psychosocial support within schools for both learners and educators as significant contributing factors.The FIS emphasizes the need for a collaborative effort between multiple departments to effectively address this multifaceted challenge. The Department of Education is tasked with providing essential school furniture, improving employee well-being, and fostering greater parental involvement. The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture is mandated to enhance the quality of facilities, while Social Development is responsible for providing more comprehensive support to distressed learners. Furthermore, the DCS is tasked with collaborating with law enforcement agencies to strengthen security and monitoring within schools. All departments are collectively responsible for eradicating drugs from school environments. The FIS concludes with a call to action, urging relevant departments to submit an integrated report outlining the implementation of these recommendations to the Legislature by February 28th.
School Violence Gauteng Focused Intervention Study Education Safety Security Substance Abuse Poverty Unemployment
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