Basic education minister urges schools to fire teachers on sex offenders list – Daily Dispatch

Report on the Department of Basic Education’s Enhanced Measures to Combat School Violence in Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Strengthening Commitments to SDGs 4, 5, and 16

In conjunction with the 16 Days of Activism campaign, South Africa’s Department of Basic Education has announced significant measures to eradicate violence in schools. These actions represent a direct commitment to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), by ensuring that educational environments are safe, inclusive, and free from violence.

Policy Implementation for Safe and Inclusive Education (SDG 4 & SDG 16)

The department has issued a directive for the immediate dismissal of any educator listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders. This policy is a critical step towards fulfilling SDG Target 16.2, which aims to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children. Furthermore, it directly supports SDG 4 by reinforcing the principle that a safe and non-violent environment is a prerequisite for quality education.

Key institutional actions include:

• Mandatory provincial action to remove listed offenders from classrooms without hesitation.
• Reinforcement of the message that individuals who endanger children are incompatible with the education sector.

Strengthening Institutional Frameworks and Partnerships (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

The government is expanding its “safe schools protocol,” a strategic partnership between the Department of Basic Education and the South African Police Service (SAPS). This collaboration exemplifies SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by leveraging inter-departmental cooperation to build effective and accountable institutions, a core objective of SDG 16.

The protocol mandates that schools undertake the following measures:

1. Conduct regular and thorough safety audits to identify and mitigate risks.
2. Strengthen collaborative ties with local police stations for rapid response and support.
3. Improve and streamline reporting systems for all incidents of violence or criminal activity.

A Holistic Approach: Connecting Community Well-being and Gender Equality (SDG 3, SDG 5 & SDG 11)

The department acknowledges the intrinsic link between violence in communities and its manifestation in schools. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube noted that “Violent communities often produce violent schools,” highlighting how factors like crime and domestic conflict impact student well-being (SDG 3) and perpetuate cycles of violence. This perspective aligns with efforts to achieve SDG 5 by addressing the root causes of gender-based violence, which often begin in the home and community.

A call has been made for a multi-stakeholder approach to break this cycle, involving:

• Families: To play a more active role in instilling non-violent values and accountability.
• Communities: To foster safe and supportive environments for children.
• Government: To lead with robust policies and prevention programmes.

Conclusion: Fostering a Culture of Peace through Prevention and Awareness

The Department of Basic Education has committed to scaling up its prevention and awareness initiatives. The core message of these programs is that violence is an unacceptable and ineffective solution to conflict. This long-term strategy aims to cultivate a culture of peace and non-violence, contributing directly to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies as envisioned in SDG 16 and ensuring the health and well-being of future generations as per SDG 3.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article’s central theme is creating a safe environment within schools. A safe and non-violent atmosphere is a prerequisite for effective learning and is fundamental to achieving quality education. The article states that “bullying, intimidation and sexual abuse remain a daily reality for many pupils,” which directly undermines the quality of their education.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
   • The article is framed within the context of the “16 Days of Activism” campaign, which primarily focuses on ending violence against women and children. The specific mention of firing teachers from the “National Register for Sex Offenders” and combating “sexual abuse” directly addresses gender-based violence, as girls are disproportionately victims of such crimes.
3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
   • This goal focuses on reducing violence and building effective, accountable institutions. The article details actions taken by a government institution (the basic education department) in partnership with another (the SAPS) to combat violence. The minister’s statement that “Violent communities often produce violent schools” links school safety to broader societal peace and justice.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
   • The entire initiative described in the article is geared towards this target. The “expansion of the safe schools protocol,” conducting “regular safety audits,” and removing teachers who “endanger children” are direct measures to create “safe, non-violent… learning environments.”
2. Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
   • The instruction to “immediately fire any teacher listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders” is a concrete action to eliminate sexual violence and exploitation within the public sphere of schools, protecting pupils, particularly girls.
3. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The department’s fight against “bullying, intimidation and sexual abuse” in schools is a direct contribution to the broader goal of reducing all forms of violence within a specific community setting.
4. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
   • This is the most directly relevant target. The article’s focus on protecting pupils from violence, the minister’s call to “break the cycle” of violence affecting children, and the implementation of prevention programs all aim to end abuse and violence against children.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Dismissal of Offenders (Implied)
   • The instruction for provinces to “immediately fire any teacher listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders” implies a clear indicator: the number or percentage of listed teachers who have been removed from the education system. This directly measures the effectiveness of the policy in making schools safer.
2. Implementation of Safety Protocols (Implied)
   • The article mentions the “expansion of the safe schools protocol,” which “requires schools to conduct regular safety audits, strengthen ties with local police stations and improve reporting systems.” Progress can be measured by indicators such as the number of schools that have adopted the protocol, the frequency of safety audits conducted, and the number of formal partnerships established between schools and police stations.
3. Reporting of Incidents (Implied)
   • The mention of the need to “improve reporting systems for any incident of violence or criminal activity” suggests an indicator related to the tracking of violence. An effective system would allow for the measurement of the number and type of violent incidents reported, which can be used to assess whether prevention programs are successfully reducing violence over time.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dailydispatch.co.za