Abstract
This article reviews literature on school safety and security and proposes a holistic approach to safety and security at schools in South Africa. This is based on the fact that ensuring a safe and secure school has become an important part of schooling in South Africa. This is due to the many reported incidents of violence at schools, in classrooms and in immediate school communities. Based on the view of the school environment as comprising physical and psychosocial spaces, I argue that the safety and security of the physical environment is a critical enabling factor for the safety of the whole school and also lays the basis for the safety of the psychosocial environment. Therefore ensuring school safety and security requires a holistic approach that encompasses a thorough grounding in knowledge about the school environment and the basics of school safety. Based on these arguments, I make the point that school facilities maintenance and surveillance of the school environment are critical aspects of a holistic approach to safety and security of a school. With this in mind, I present an approach that can be helpful in making schools safe and secure. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1580
Highlights
Schools generally are concerned with creating effective teaching and learning spaces for both teachers and learners
Relevant pieces of legislation address issues such as visitation to schools; regulations for safety measures at public schools; measures for emergencies and fire procedures including emergency evacuations, installation and maintenance of fire extinguishers and alarms as well as the conduct of fire drills; declaration of schools as drug and dangerous objects-free zones; directives relating to dangerous objects or illegal drugs in school premises; and random body searches and or randomly administering urine tests to learners who are reasonably suspected of using illegal drugs
I argue that the safety of the physical environment is a foundation to the safety of the psychosocial environment in that when safe and secure, it provides teaching and learning spaces that unlock the potential for processes that make provision for a friendly, rewarding and supportive atmosphere – an atmosphere that supports cooperation and active learning, forbids physical punishment and violence, is intolerant of bullying and harassment, values the development of creative activities, connects school and home life, promote equal opportunities and participation, identifies and enhances positive characteristics in the school environment (Kennedy, 2004, p. 61; May, 2003, p. 5; Skevington, 2003, Annexure 3; Calabrese, 2000, p. 83; Henderson and Howe, 1998, p. 100)
Summary
Schools generally are concerned with creating effective teaching and learning spaces for both teachers and learners. Relevant pieces of legislation address issues such as visitation to schools; regulations for safety measures at public schools; measures for emergencies and fire procedures including emergency evacuations, installation and maintenance of fire extinguishers and alarms as well as the conduct of fire drills; declaration of schools as drug and dangerous objects-free zones; directives relating to dangerous objects or illegal drugs in school premises; and random body searches and or randomly administering urine tests to learners who are reasonably suspected of using illegal drugs Despite these measures and best practices aimed at ensuring safety at schools, incidents resulting in injuries and sometimes death, continue and seem to be on the increase.
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