The Safe Schools Division of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has organised holiday programmes and special patrols to protect schools during the holiday season.

The aims of the holiday programmes include providing constructive activities for children while also protecting schools by ensuring that they are used during this period.

Holiday programmes and special patrols played important roles in reducing the number of incidents of vandalism during the July holiday this year, when incidents dropped by 47% compared to July 2007.

Safety Resource Officers in the WCED's education districts are organising the programmes conjunction with partners in various sectors, including government, the police, NGOs and the private sector.

"We are extremely grateful to our Safe Schools' officials and partners for giving up their time to organise these activities, especially when they could be on holiday themselves," said Yousuf Gabru, MEC for Education in the Western Cape.

"These programmes provide a wonderful example of a positive response to a perennial problem - how to look after our schools during the holidays, while also having fun. The added advantage is that our children have something positive to do."

Each district has organised programmes and patrols, according to the perceived need in the district concerned.

The WCED's Metropole South District has organised special patrols of 60 schools in various communities in the southern Peninsula.

The district has organised holiday programmes involving 35 schools. The activities range from a dragon boat regatta to a baseball tournament, swimming lessons, soccer, positive living programmes and a workplace readiness programme for Grade 12s.

The West Coast Education District has organised all-day activities in Hopefield, including sports, talks, group activities, games, educational videos, a talent show, a fashion show and coloring in competitions.

The Cape Winelands Education District has organised the Drakenstein Community Games that will move from day-to-day between 10 schools, targeting learners in the Under 11 to Under 19 age groups.

The Metropole East Education District has organised special patrols of 76 schools, along with eight holiday programmes, over one to three days. The programmes include sports, games, youth leadership development, and programmes on teenage pregnancy, peer pressure, youth challenges and time management.

The Metropole North Education District has organised special patrols and guards at 118 schools in high-risk areas of the district.

The Metropole Central Education District has organised activities involving 29 schools at seven venues, assisted by three partners.

The activities include back to school drives, sports, treasure hunts, papermaking, swimming lessons indigenous games, debates, a drug abuse workshop and skills training in conflict management and resolution, leadership and life skills.

The Eden/Central Karoo Education District has organised patrols at selected schools along with an extensive holiday programme with 14 partners in various sectors. The holiday programmes are taking place at 20 venues, including schools, sports fields and civic centres, in various towns.

The activities include mini soccer, beach soccer, indigenous games, touch rugby, mini cricket, netball, story telling, face painting, fun group activities, drama, a talent search, a dress-up competition, boere sports, motivational talks, a high school musical, street theatre, a family sports day, police talks and a police dog show.

The Overberg Education District has organised drives at 10 schools, to encourage high school learners to stay in school, to register learners and to remind learners and parents that school starts on 21 January 2009.