Of the slightly more then 1,000 educators who left the profession last year, more then half cited personal reasons, retirement, ill-health and better opportunities in the private sector.

This was one of several questions answered by Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore, during a lengthy spell yesterday in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature.

Some of the other questions related to school safety and steps the department is taking in combating the scourge of violence, crime and vandalism on Cape Flats schools.

3. Mr M J R de Villiers to ask Mr C M Dugmore, Minister of Education:

1. How many teachers in the Western Cape left the teaching profession in the 2005/2006 financial year;

2. whether any procedures or methods are in place to conduct an evaluation of the exodus of teachers and the reasons therefor; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; and

3. whether any information is available in respect of the number of teachers making a living outside the teaching profession; if not, (a) why not and (b) what plans are being made to have this information updated; if so, what is the relevant information?

Answer:

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION

3. (1) 1 172

    (2) Yes. Reasons for leaving the WCED’S employ:

Personal   204
Private sector   197
Relocation   10
Studies   15
Overseas   22
Private school   3
Travelling   2
Financial   2
University post   7
Politics   4
Coaching   1
Own business   6
Marriage   9
Health   28
Family   116
Governing body   16
Immigrations   18
Dismissals   38
Transfers/Other departments   17
Missionary work   6
Retirements (age)   136
Retirement due to ill-health   195
Early retirements   70
Deaths   50

    (3)  (a) No.

(b) Statistics on educators who left the employ of the WCED and who are making a living outside the teaching profession are not available. The recruitment of teachers for the teaching profession will have to be attempted at national and provincial level in order to convince qualified people to return to the teaching profession.

4. Mr G C R Haskin to ask Mr C M Dugmore, Minister of Education:

Whether any steps are being taken by the Western Cape Education Department to address the ongoing vandalism, burglaries, theft and destruction of property that the Heideveld Primary School is experiencing at the hands of vandals, drug-users and thieves, especially over weekends; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Answer:

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION

4. The WCED Division Safe Schools approaches safety by means of a three-prong strategy, consisting of the following types of programmes designed to create safe and effective learning and teaching environment:

Environmental programmes – where we make use of target-hardening strategies to reinforce the physical structure of the school, by means of security fencing, mesh and razor wire, as well as alarms linked to an armed response service.

Developmental programmes – which are put in place to support, modify or influence parent, educator and learner behaviour at school. Programmes include conflict management, trauma counselling, peer mediation, human rights education, diversity management. In addition, sport and cultural activities, as well as entrepreneurial training is conducted. The school also forms part of the School Cluster, which would then embark on developmental activities as part of a geographical grouping of schools. Here schools share expertise and best practices as well.

Systems programmes - that incorporate a holistic approach to changing how the whole school operates. These programmes include organisational development, leadership and management, community relations and effective governance. They include developing a relevant curriculum and identifying and assisting learners at risk. Partnerships and networking play an important role and involve partnering with other government departments, as well as Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs). Heideveld Primary School has been identified as one of the 50 New Schools in the Western Cape province. The school will receive major infrastructural support as part of the 50 New Schools.

Schools in the Western Cape are obliged to report all incidents of crime, violence and safety-related issues to the Safe Schools Call Centre. Schools have toll-free access to the Safe Schools Call Centre (toll-free no. 0800 45 46 47), where they may report incidents of crime and violence, including burglary and vandalism, theft and substance abuse.

Schools who report incidents receive the following support: the Safe Schools coordinator will assess the gaps in the infrastucture and would be supported to better protect and secure the school premises.

11. Mr S Esau to ask Mr C M Dugmore, Minister of Education:

(a) How many public schools were employing (i) private security, (ii) Bambanani volunteers, (iii) community security volunteers, (iv) SAPS security or (v) security referred to in a combination of subparagraphs (i) to (iv) above as at the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) what are the related costs in each case?

Answer:

The MINISTER OF EDUCATION

11. (a) Private security guards are paid for by the School Governing Body. We do not have statistics on the number of private security, SAPS and community security at present. We have identified 400 schools for the Bambanani project. Due to budgetary constraints, one hundred (100) schools will each get 5 Bambanani volunteers, one of which must be appointed by the School Governing Body (SGB). These 100 schools are all located within the Metropole.

     (b) The budget for the Bambanani project is R500,000.00

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi:  082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.