Schools chosen for virtual anti-crime training
Six problematic East
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London schools have been chosen for the Safer SA Foundation s virtual National
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Youth 4SaferSouthAfrica debate training programme.
Grade 11 and 12 pupils in the six schools Ebenezer
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Majombozi, John Bisseker, Alphendale, Greenpoint, Baysville and East London Secondary School had in
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recent weeks been participating in the programme in a bid to promote crime prevention among the youth in schools.
The programme was meant to take place in Johannesburg in June, but due to the Covid-19 lockdown, it had to be delayed.
The six schools were identified by the provincial department of education for the SSAF s community and
’
justice programme.
SSAF provincial coordinator Claudette van Zyl said on Monday: As part of
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efforts to promote crime prevention among youths in schools, SSAF launched the Youth4SaferSouthAfrica national debate to deepen activities of their community and justice programme [CJP], which is offered to schools in seven provinces.
The programme has so
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far reached 73 schools and over 5,000 pupils.”
She said SSAF ran the programmes in partnership with the department of education and lawenforcement agencies. The programme is run
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over 10 sessions, where we have the SAPS, traffic department, NPA, department of correctional services, Human Rights Commission and the Banking Association, giving one- to two-hour lectures as an aftercare programme at the identified schools,” said Van Zyl.
Two experiential visits were undertaken, she said, one to East London courts and another to correctional facilities, as part of showing the pupils where crime could lead them in life.
She said the programme kicked off in 2019 at John Bisseker and Alphendale secondary schools during the first term, and then in the second term at Ebenezer Majombozi and Greenpoint, and at East London Secondary in the third term.
Baysville High was chosen to represent special schools. They were identified by the department due to their challenges such as gangsterism, drugs and so on. Due to SSAF not having
“resources, we tried to first
CRIME FIGHTERS:
take schools in the closest proximity to each other. The pupils involved are
“identified by their schools.
After every completion of the CJP, all pupils are tasked to write an essay on how they can prevent crime in their schools, communities and at home.
These essays are adjudicated, and the three best essays are presented at a plush award ceremony and all the participants that completed the programme receive a certificate.”
Van Zyl said some of the benefits of the virtual training was that the pupils acquired public speaking and research skills.