Honourable Speaker,
The ACDP notes that a described a safe school as one filled with laughter, engaged classrooms and caring educators. But today’s reality is far more troubling. Learners face sexual abuse, predation by those entrusted to protect them, serious bullying, drug use, food contamination, physical assault and sadly for some, the loss of life.
This was almost the case of 18-year-old Joshua Petersen, with a passion to become a motor mechanic, who on 22 January 2025 was attacked and stabbed during school hours at Westridge High School, leaving him paralysed. Minister, on 13 May 2025, I moved a motion without notice, calling for your intervention, as neither Joshua nor his parents have heard from the Department, since his violent assault. I appeal to you once again Minister, not to leave Joshua as just another statistic of violence at our schools.
Despite the South African Schools Act obligating governing bodies to act in schools’ best interests, it contains no direct mandate to ensure learner safety. Institutions are expected to craft their own safety policies, yet they often lack the capacity, guidance, or legal training to do so effectively.
Professor Rika Joubert’s warning bears repeating as her observations still remain valid: school safety falters when education officials and educators misunderstand their legal responsibilities. Issuing policies without empowering role players is misguided. District offices and PDEs must do more than publish aspirational guidelines – they must support implementation.
The ACDP calls for accountability to be real. Education managers who ignore warning signs or mishandle serious incidents warrant disciplinary action. Preventative strategies and fair but firm discipline are vital. If there is decisive action when learners breach conduct codes and principals are supported when expulsions are necessary, learners will understand that misconduct has consequences.
The ACDP supports every constructive initiative to keep our children safe and once again calls on the Minister not to pay lip service to school safety but show Joshua Petersen that you are concerned. We affirm that school safety cannot be negotiable. No learner should fear the classroom as safety is a bedrock of education – and every child deserves to learn without fear.
