SA Education News

Health Promotion

Health Promotion aims to create a healthy school environment by promoting the general health and wellbeing of learners and educators, and by addressing key health and social barriers to learning in order to promote effective teaching and learning.

Strategic Objectives

• To increase knowledge and awareness of health promoting behaviours.
• To develop systems for the mainstreaming of care and support for teaching and learning; and
• To increase sexual and reproductive health knowledge, skills and decision making among learners, educators and school support staff;
• To facilitate early identification and treatment of health barriers to learning; and
• To increase knowledge and awareness of health promoting behaviours.

Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention and Management Programme

The Department currently implements an alcohol and drug use prevention and management programme. The programme is integrated into the school curriculum via the Life Orientation/Life Skills subject area. This is supported by co-curricular activities implemented through Peer Education programmes. The programme adopts a public health approach and involves interventions to creating an enabling environment for policy implementation, prevention interventions, early detection and treatment, care and support. The thrust of interventions by the Department are on the prevention of alcohol and drug use. However, partnerships are set up with other government departments and non-governmental organizations to facilitate access to treatment, care and support where required.

Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme

The Care and Support for Teaching Learning (CSTL) Programme is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) initiative that was adopted by Education Ministers in 2008. The goal of the CSTL Programme is to realise the educational rights of all children, including those who are most vulnerable, through schools becoming inclusive centres of learning, care and support. The CSTL Programme intends to prevent and mitigate factors that have a negative impact on the enrolment, retention, performance and progression of vulnerable learners in schools by addressing barriers to learning and teaching. South Africa is one of six countries (others are Swaziland, Zambia, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique) implementing Phase 1 of the Programme between 2008 - 2015. In order to realize its goal, nine priority areas have been identified to address barriers to teaching and learning. These priority areas have been identified based on the policy and legislative mandate that the Department has to fulfil on care and support, as well as the most pressing needs in school communities. The priority areas are as follows: nutritional support health promotion infrastructure water and sanitation safety and protection social welfare services psychosocial support material support curriculum support co-curricular support.

HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme

The HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme finds its policy mandate from the National Policy on HIV and AIDS for Learners and Educators in Schools (1999). The programme was initiated in 2000 and is implemented in all public institutions with a focus on learners in Grades 1-12. The main objectives of the life skills programme are to integrate HIV and AIDS and relevant life skills into the school curriculum as a strategy to prevent and mitigate the spread of HIV infection, and to provide care and support for learners that are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. In this regard, a cross-curricular approach has been adopted. The Life Skills and HIV and AIDS Education is primarily located in the Life Orientation learning area/subject with some aspects of the programme integrated into other learning area/subjects. The HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme focuses on mainly curricular activities as per the following focal areas: Educators are trained to implement Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and TB programmes for learners through the curriculum Procurement and distribution of NCS and CAPS compliant LTSM on HIV and TB Co-curricular activities on SRH and TB Advocacy activities with learners, educators and schools communities on SRH and TB Care and support activities for learners and educators.

Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP)

The Departments of Basic Education and Health are jointly implementing the Integrated School Health Programme that will extend, over time, the coverage of school health services to all learners in primary and secondary schools. The programme offers a comprehensive and integrated package of services including sexual and reproductive health services for older learners. The Health Services Package for the ISHP includes a large component of health education for each of the four school phases (such as how to lead a healthy lifestyle and drug and substance abuse awareness), health screening (such as screening for vision, hearing, oral health and tuberculosis) and onsite services (such as deworming and immunization). During 2013/2014, the programme aims to reach 700 000 learners in grades 1 4, 8 and 10 in quintile 1 and 2 schools. Learners in Grade 4 in quintile 1 schools will receive health education. All learners repeating grades in quintile 1 and 2 schools will also receive health screening.

Peer Education Programme

Peer Education is used as a strategy to role model health promoting behaviour and to shift peer norms on HIV and AIDS and other health and social issues as a support to curriculum implementation.

SA Education News

National School Nutrition Programme

The NSNP aims to enhance the learning capacity of learners through the provision of a healthy meal at schools. Where it is implemented, the programme has shown to improve punctuality, regular school attendance, concentration and the general wellbeing of participating learners.

Whilst learners are being provided with nutritious meals, they are also taught to establish and maintain good eating and lifestyle habits for life. Nutrition Education also provides educators with resource materials to support curriculum and to make every school a healthy school.

Schools are also encouraged to establish food gardens from which they obtain fresh produce (vegetables/fruit) to supplement the menu in line with South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines. Learners, teachers & parents are provided with skills to grow their own food contributing towards long-term household food security. The gardens are also used as a teaching and learning resource and to beautify the environment.
 

NSNP Questions and Answers

What is the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)?

It is the government programme that provides one nutritious meal to all learners in Primary and Secondary Schools.

Why Feeding at School?

Food provided at school is intended to give learners energy, to make them alert and receptive during lessons.

What are the objectives of the programme?

It is to provide nutritious meals to learners so as to improve their ability to learn. The programme also teaches learners and parents on ways of living a healthy lifestyle, and promoting development of school vegetable gardens.

Who benefits from the programme?

All learners in poorer Primary and Secondary Schools.

What does a school meal consist of?

Protein (Soya, Fish, Eggs, Milk, Sour milk, Beans and Lentils), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable, Carbohydrate/starch. A variety of protein is served per week. Soya should not be served more than twice a week. Fats/oil, salt and flavourants are added to make the meals tasty. Fresh vegetable or Fruit should be served daily.

What are the rules of the programme?

Learners receive food on all school days. Food is served by 10h00. Where a breakfast is served before the school starts, the main meal may be served later. Learners eat in a clean environment.

Who cooks the food?

Food is cooked by unemployed members of the community appointed by the School Governing Body.

How many cooks can the school select?

For every two hundred (200) learners, one Volunteer Food Handler is used (1:200). In schools where the number of learners is very low, The ratio is 1:125.

What should be done with the leftover food?

The leftover food can be given to the needy learners to eat at home.

How can parents and the community support the school nutrition programme?

Volunteer your service to establish and/or maintain a school food garden.Donate Kitchens. Protect the school’s resource Supply cooking, eating and garden equipment. Encourage your children to eat at school. Provide detergents, protective clothing and First Aid Kits. Report fraud-mismanagement of school funds and property. Attend school meetings and ask questions on how funds are used. Print important nutrition messages on pamphlets, posters or products sold.

Where can we Lodge a complaint about the NSNP?

First, make sure that the school management is aware. If no action is taken, report to the district office or call the Department toll free number 0800 20 29 33.

Can the child choose not to receive the food? Is it voluntary?

Food is offered to all learners. They are not forced to eat. Investigation should be made why learners do not eat and take actions to correct the problems that exist.

What must I do if my child is allergic to the food served by the school?

A parent or caregiver can indicate which food stuff the child is allergic to and, wherever possible, the school will attempt to provide to a learner.

Should schools have food gardens?

The schools are encouraged to grow a food garden so that the educators and learners can learn how to grow vegetables and fruit. Vegetables grown/produced from the school garden can add fresh and healthy food to the school meals. School gardens also beautify the school environment.

Why is it important to teach learners to wash hands before eating?

To prevent germs from spreading from hands to food and not to get sick.

SA Education News

Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC)

The power to improve education lies with all of us. We call on all department officials, teachers, students, parents and community members to make a commitment to a ‘Code for Quality Education’.

This Code drives the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC), also launched in 2008. It is also a point of departure for the following vision of where we would like to be in 2025. Making sure that every young South African receives quality schooling is an urgent need. Yet we realise that this cannot be realised overnight.

Campaign co-ordinating structures have been set up at national, provincial, regional, local and school levels and Government now calls on all South Africans to join us in this campaign, as part of the ongoing effort to achieve a better life for all.

Through the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign the Department and its partners aim to make education a societal issue. Working together, as school communities, districts, provincial and national departments as well as other relevant stakeholders, we will achieve the commitments made in the Delivery Agreement and the objectives set out in the Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025.

It is crucial to mobilise and galvanise the entire nation to rally around the cause of the achievement of quality education for all. Thus the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign calls on all individuals and organisations to assume responsibility for improving the quality of education. The QLTC aims to mobilise all members of communities, both big and small throughout South Africa to heed the President’s call. QLTC structures will be established at all levels of the education system in order to ensure that all role players in the system adhere to the pledges they took to carry out their roles and responsibilities to the best of their abilities. It is only when each role player- official, principal, teacher and learner- carries out their role with dedication, motivation and commitment will we be able to achieve excellence in education.

SA Education News

Inclusive Education

Our Constitution (Act 108 of 1996) founded our democratic state and common citizenship on the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedoms (Section 1a). These values summon all of us to take up the responsibility and challenge of building a humane and caring society, not for the few,

but for all South Africans.

In establishing an education and training system for the 21st century, we carry a special responsibility to implement these values and to ensure that all learners, with and without disabilities, pursue their learning potential to the fullest.

Promulgation of the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS)

On 19 December 2014 Minister Motshekga approved the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS). The Policy has been developed over a period of ten years through a rigorous process of field testing and consultation. It aims at ensuring that all children of school-going age who experience barriers to learning, including those who are disabled, will be able to access inclusive, quality, free, primary and secondary education on an equal basis with other young people in the communities in which they live.

The policy aims at standardising the procedures to identify, assess and provide programmes for all learners who require additional support to enhance their participation and inclusion in school, making teachers and parents central to the support processes.

The successful implementation of the SIAS Policy will be an important step towards meeting the obligations of government in respect of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as ratified by Cabinet in November 2007, in terms of ensuring an inclusive education system at all levels (Article 24).

SA Education News

Physical resource Planning and Rural schooling

What are we all about?

The objective of the Physical Resource Planning and Rural Schooling unit is to develop, implement and monitor a strategy for improved and adequate facilities at schools, including infrastructure, equipment, other amenities, facilities, water, sanitation and electricity, and to support funding for these, thereby contributing to Goal 24 of Action Plan to 2014: towards realisation of schooling 2025.

In other words, our objective is to ensure that the physical infrastructure and environment of every school inspire learners to want to come to school and learn, and teachers to teach.

What we do:

·         Administration of Education Infrastructure Grant

·         Monitor the provision of school furniture

·         Monitor the provision of learner transport

·         Policy development

·         Maintenance and utilization of National Education Infrastructure system for infrastructure planning and monitoring.

SA Education News

Safety in schools

The Department of Basic Education takes school safety very seriously and as an apex priority the department has put in place various policies and measures to ensure the safety of all learners, educators and relevant stakeholders in schools.

The Department reiterates that there is no place for violence, drug-use/abuse, sexual harassment and other criminal acts in schools as it poses a serious barrier to learning. There is great focus on the inculcation of values and ethics and of a just and caring society within schools and communities. The Department views these ills in a serious light because they carry a potential to deprive our learners of their inherent constitutional rights to life, education, equality and dignity. 

Interventions have focused on addressing elements of physical infrastructure related to proper fencing, alarm systems and burglar proofing, resilience-building programmes for young people and the strengthening of partnerships with relevant stakeholders.

The Department has a solid partnership with the South African Police Services (SAPS) aimed at linking schools with local police-stations and the establishment of functional School Safety Committees.

Schools are critical in instilling discipline and ensuring safety, thus the emphasis on Codes of Conduct for Learners at all public schools. Schools are therefore directly responsible for providing an environment conducive to the delivery of quality teaching and learning by, among other things, promoting the rights and safety of all learners, teachers and parents.

A National School Safety Framework has been developed to serve as a management tool for Provincial and District Officials responsible for school safety, principals, Senior Management Team Members, SGB members, teachers and learners to identify and manage risk and threats of violence in and around schools. The Framework is critical in empowering all responsible officials in understanding their responsibilities regarding school safety

The Department has developed a National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of alcohol and Drug use amongst learners in schools. As schools mirror the communities, curbing drug use in schools will in turn prevent drug use within the communities and render them safe for all citizens. Schools have been provided with a Guide to Drug Testing in South African Schools.

In terms of the Regulations for Safety Measures at all Public Schools  the Minister has declared all public schools as drug free and dangerous weapon free zones.

Sexual harassment and violence affect learning environments negatively, creating an atmosphere of fear and aggression. These are certainly not conditions under which our learners should be subjected to as part of their learning experiences. Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Sexual Violence and Harassment; have been developed and distributed to schools to support schools and school communities in responding to cases of sexual harassment and violence against learners. The guidelines set out clearly how public schools should treat victims of sexual harassment and violence and the steps that must be taken to deal with those who have or are alleged to have committed such acts.

The department has released a handbook for learners on how to prevent sexual abuse in public schools, titled Speak Out - Youth Report Sexual Abuse. The purpose of the handbook is to equip learners with knowledge and understanding of sexual harassment and sexual violence, its implications, ways to protect themselves from perpetrators, and where to report. The handbook also provides very useful contact details of national and provincial organizations that can assist.

It is important for parents and communities to actively participate in addressing and promoting school safety. Parents and communities are well positioned to see to it that children are safe wherever they are.

The Department will continue in earnest to protect the rights of all children in schools. The success of these efforts rely largely on collective efforts of parents and communities to work together with schools to ensure that all children are safe and realise their full potential in school.