Basic Education Minister, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, reassured the nation during her Budget Vote Debate, and by signing the Safe Schools Protocol with the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 24 June 2025, that the safety of our children remain a non-negotiable. The rollout of the Online Safety Integrated Programme for schools has been progressing well across provinces since the initial strategic training workshop on the implementation of the Online Safety Curriculum Guideline for Grades 8 to 12 was held during May 2024. The DBE and its partners will continue with the rollout of the training workshops.
According to SA-Connect, at least 79% of South Africans have access to the Internet. During 2024, a total of 98.7% of users used their mobile devices to access the Internet, which included children. Children’s constant participation on the Internet has left them vulnerable to various problems such as cyber-crimes, cyber-bullying, pornography and paedophilia, as well as online Gender-Based Violence (GBV). As a result, the DBE and its stakeholders saw the need for officials, educators and learners to be capacitated to identify online violence and to implement child online safety mechanisms. The Director for School Safety, Mr Sifiso Ngobese, highlighted the importance of this programme by saying that, “most learners in our schools have access to the Internet, the DBE therefore has the responsibility to empower them to be safe using online platforms and have good digital footprints”.
The DBE is collaborating with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); the Department of Social Development; the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies; the Film and Publication Board (FPB); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Google South Africa; and the Agape Youth Movement. The Online Safety Integrated Programme within the Basic Education Sector is led by national and provincial officials from the School Safety, Life Orientation Curricula; e-Learning; Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC); Education, Management and Development Governance; Social Cohesion; Inclusive Education; and Psychosocial Support Directorates.
During 2024, the DBE and its partners convened provincial training workshops in the North West Province during September 2024 and in the Northern Cape Province during October 2024. These workshops were followed by three district-based training workshops in the North West Province during February 2025, and two district-based training workshops were convened in the Northern Cape Province during April 2025. The DBE and its partners also convened provincial training workshops in the Mpumalanga Province during April 2025, and the Gauteng and the Free State Provinces during May 2025. The next province to be visited will be the Limpopo Province during August, with district-based training workshops scheduled to take place in the Gauteng and Mpumalanga Provinces, also during August 2025.
In addition, the DBE, the FPB and Google prioritised online safety awareness at the third annual Learner Leadership Summit that took place at the ANEW Hotel Benoni on 26 June 2025. As part of the 2025 Web Rangers digital literacy campaign, the Web Rangers outreach programme has successfully rolled out in partnership with the DBE, reinforcing the national online safety curriculum in schools. Outreach activities held during Child Protection Week also reached multiple schools across the North West Province, where learners engaged in awareness sessions on digital rights, privacy, and cyberbullying. As part of the holistic school safety programme, Inclusive Education participation will be strengthened and national, provincial and district collaboration will be enhanced.
The DBE and its partners will further collaborate with the Gauteng Education Department (GDE) to conduct an Online Safety Learner Awareness session in 12 districts between July and September 2025. The first session will take place at Glenvista High School, Johannesburg South District on 23 July 2025.