The DBE, through the School Safety Directorate, in collaboration with Moxii Africa (formerly known as Media Monitoring Africa) and the Free State Education Department, launched the Web Rangers Programme at Kagisho Comprehensive Secondary School in Mangaung Bloemfontein from 10 to 11 April 2026.
The Web Rangers Programme is a learner-led initiative designed to empower learners to become champions of safe and responsible internet use. It equips participants with essential skills to create awareness campaigns that promote positive online behaviour. By focusing on youth leadership, the programme encourages learners to take responsibility for their digital presence while influencing their peers to do the same. It forms part of the DBE’s broader Online Safety Integrated Programme for schools.
A total of 40 learners representing five secondary schools attended the workshop, including five teacher liaison officers and five School Governing Body members. The full programme will run over seven months, whilst the two-day workshop provided a strong foundation. Learners were introduced to key concepts of digital citizenship, participated in interactive sessions and began developing ideas for awareness campaigns. These activities form part of the programme’s broader process, which includes team formation, campaign design, implementation, documentation, and final submission for evaluation and prizes. A key highlight of the event was presented by Ms Sylvia Mabuza from the School Safety Directorate, who addressed critical issues surrounding online safety and cyberbullying. She raised awareness about the risks associated with popular social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Learners were cautioned about sharing personal information online without fully understanding the consequences.
Ms Mabuza discussed common online threats, including cyberbullying, online harassment, phishing, scams, and privacy invasion. She emphasized the importance of responsible online behaviour, guiding learners on what is appropriate to share and how to protect their personal information. Her session also introduced initiatives aimed at helping both learners and educators identify and respond to digital risks, including misinformation and online abuse.
Another important component of the programme was an Artificial Intelligence (AI) training session facilitated by Mr Tumelo Hlaka from Moxii Africa. During this session, participants were introduced to the fundamentals of AI, including how it works and its role in everyday technologies such as social media, GPS systems, and smart devices. Mr Hlaka explained the different types of AI, including basic AI, which follows programmed instructions, and generative AI, which can create new content. He also shed light on how algorithms operate; particularly how social media platforms use them to track user activity and personalise content. This session helped learners better understand the digital systems they interact with daily.
Overall, the two-day Web Rangers Programme at the Kagisho Comprehensive Secondary School successfully equipped learners with valuable knowledge and practical skills. By fostering awareness, responsibility, and leadership, the initiative is helping to shape a generation of informed and responsible digital citizens who can positively influence their communities. Finally, learners were requested to be champions of Online Safety in their schools and conduct awareness campaigns on online safety.