With the schools in the province just opened for 2023 few weeks ago, Western Cape SAPS Safer Schools co-ordinator Cst Marel Abrahams who is attached to Provincial vispol has hit the ground running along with local Safer Schools co-ordinators from different police stations to assist school-going children to a safe and secured environment to all the schools.
Cst Abrahams said their office has been invited by the Western Cape Education Department to their Back to School programme for the year 2023 where their focal point would among other things, was what she termed as alarming rate of bullying and consequences thereof , which include truancy or abandoning of the school by the child.
She said four day programme which commenced on the 30 January to 02 February 2023 was initiated to take place at four Primary Schools which include Mimosa Primary School in Bonteheuwel, Morgenson Primary School in Hanover Park, Facreton Primary School in Kensington and Easter Peak Primary School in Manenberg.
The programme was conducted in three phases, as phase one was about to first talk with educators in regard with process of referral, phase two was to conduct awareness program to the senior and intermediate learners at the primary Schools speaking about bullying. With phase three the team have embarked on home visits to truant learners.
Abrahams said the safety of the learners were of utmost importance, but the awareness campaigns have to be intensified with parents, educators and learners coming to the party.