The Safe Schools Programme is an initiative of and is led by the national and provincial departments of education. The SA Police Service plays a supporting role to the departments and school communities to ensure school safety.
Progress in respect of the implementation of the state school's programme as a crime prevention initiative includes the following: Firstly, the identification by the national Department of Education of 584 schools in all provinces that needed particular support with regard to safety; secondly, visits to each province, focusing on one school per province, were conducted in co-operation with the SAPS to engage provincial education departments to identify specific needs and inform national planning and budgeting; thirdly, a draft strategic plan on safe schools, including the signpost for safer schools and to address violence in schools, has been compiled in consultation with the Department of Education. The strategic plan is going to be rolled out to all the provinces soon.
The programme facilitates trust among the SAPS, learners and the school community. Consequently, the learners have found it easier to report child abuse cases. The SAPS works with the Department of Social Development and the Department of Education on the national Substance Abuse Prevention Programme called Ke Moja which specifically focuses on children, the youth and schools.
On 4 August 2007 a sports event against drugs was held in Mamelodi. Schools from Mamelodi, Mamelodi East, Eersterus and Silverton participated. A drug expert addressed the children on the dangers of drugs. A reduction in crime was noted in areas where the programme was implemented. Thank you.