The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are convinced that the effective implementation of Protocol Agreement will enhance Government’s efforts in creating safer learning environments in the South African schools.  The partnership protocol between the DBE and SAPS have been implemented in the Basic Education Sector since 2015 to date.

The Director for Safety in Education, Mr Paseka Njobe, indicated that the Protocol Agreement enables the sector to intervene when crime occurs at schools in general. “Through this partnership, we managed to establish collaborative protocols in all provinces. We ensured that schools across all nine provinces are linked to local police stations. The DBE and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) also established functional Safe School Committees to implement crime prevention programmes,” highlighted Mr Njobe.  He further emphasised that, “in an attempt to strengthen school safety, the DBE initiated the National School Safety Framework (NSSF) Early Warning System and promoted development and adoption of Codes of Conduct for learners. The NSSF Early Warning System was introduced and implemented in provinces as a management tool for school principals, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and educators on how to identify, prevent and manage risks and threats of crime and violence at school. The programme consists of various survey questionnaires which assist school principals, educators, learners and parents to identify possible risks and threats at school, and inform the school on how to put safety measures in place.

Mr Njobe added: “Section 8 (4) of the South African School Act provides that “all learners attending a school are bound by the schools’ adopted Codes of Conduct.”  All learners attending the school are expected to sign a statement of commitment to the Code of Conduct. The DBE developed an exemplar Code of Conduct for learners that which was distributed to all provinces as a guide for school principals to develop their own school-based Code of Conduct for Learners. The Code of Conduct spells out the rules regarding behaviour at the school and describes the disciplinary system to be implemented when transgressions by learners occur. The Code of Conduct for Learners applies to all learners while they are on the school premises or when they are away from the school.  Generally, Code of Conduct promotes the rights and safety of all learners, educators and parents. We must add that educators too, have their own Code of Conduct, regulated by the South African Council for Educators (SACE)”.