Education MEC Lebogang Maile Says Parents Must Step Up As Safety Concerns Plague Gauteng Schools
- Gauteng Education Member of the Executive Committee Lebogang Maile has addressed the issue of safety in schools
- Maile noted that the responsibility for keeping schools safe did not lie with the schools alone, but also with the communities
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the MEC's comments, sharing varied reactions to his stance
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG - Lebogang Maile says the responsibility for keeping schools safe must be shared far more broadly than it currently is, calling for parents to do more as well.
The Gauteng Education Member of the Executive Committee made the comments as gangsterism and crime continue to pose a problem in some schools in the province.
The province's "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" outreach programme revealed that bullying, gender-based violence, gangsterism, substance abuse, vandalism, intimidation and violence in and around schools were consistently raised by communities as serious concerns.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
Maile said schools cannot stand alone
Maile was direct about the limits of what government can do on its own, saying that safe schools require safe communities. Maile said that schools could not operate unaffected while the communities around them were plagued by crime, gangsterism, substance abuse and violence.
The Education MEC also pushed back on the idea that more policing would be enough to turn things around.
"We need parents, communities, schools, the SAPS and all stakeholders to work together. A child spends only part of the day at school, and the values that shape discipline, respect, responsibility and accountability are first cultivated within families and communities," he said.
Mzansi weighs in on Maile’s comments
The MEC's remarks touched a nerve online, with South Africans sharing their thoughts on social media.
Themba Mphuthi said:
"You can't discipline your child because of the government. Children are protected by rights now; they go report you to the police for assault."
Mike Horn commented:
"I always say: problem parents create problem children."
Annalien Barendrecht shared:
"Parents are afraid of their own children. Children rule houses now. They just refuse to listen or to help with anything at home."
Gary Rusch noted:
"Parents are responsible for their children."
Queen Lee Mothupi wrote:
"Government should bring back corporal punishment in order for parents to discipline their children."
Senzo Sengane agreed:
"You took rights away from parents."
Other stories about crime in Gauteng schools
- Two Gauteng pupils were tragically killed in separate stabbing incidents in Johannesburg and Ennerdale.
- A 29-year-old educator from Michael Zulu Primary School in Tsakane was shot multiple times while on his way to work.
- Gauteng police discovered knives, machetes and other weapons during a raid at a school in Khutsong.
PAY ATTENTION: Stay informed and follow us on Google News!
Source: Briefly News
