1. A document, the Western Cape Education Department Policy and Protocol on Safety in School Science, is attached. Comments received from the public were also taken into account when the policy and protocol were drafted.
2. This document sets out the principles, rules and formal steps in the Western Cape Education Department's (WCED’s) policy and implementation plan to ensure that Science is offered safely in its institutions and that chemicals in stock are used exclusively for the experimental work prescribed in the various revised national curriculum statements. It also provides a list of commitments made by the WCED and conditions which must be satisfied by schools.
3. All the institutions involved are requested to ensure that they will be ready for the implementation of this policy and protocol on 1 January 2005 by

  • appointing the safety officers concerned

  • informing and training the personnel responsible for this function

  • making the necessary preparations so that their laboratories can be declared safe zones.
4. A manual for safety in school science, which will facilitate the implemention of the policy, will be provided to all these institutions in the course of the year.
5. This document is (also) available on the WCED Curriculum Development web site at http://curriculum.wcape.school.za/site/52/page/view/ . Enquiries may be directed to the director or the chief curriculum adviser at your EMDC.
6. Heads of institutions are requested to bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all educators, parents/guardians and learners.


SIGNED: P.A. VINJEVOLD
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2004:04:10

Policy and Protocol on Safety in School Science  (size: 85 KB)