We have detected that the browser you are using is no longer supported. As a result, some content may not display correctly.
We suggest that you upgrade to the latest version of any of the following browsers:
close notification
Date
:13/09/2005
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Title:Cronje: World Congress on International Association for
Suicide Prevention
KZN Education MEC Ina Cronje speech at the XXIII World Congress of
the –International Association for Suicide Prevention
(IASP)
1. INTRODUCTION
It is indeed a great honour and privilege for me to be afforded the
opportunity to participate in this conference and to address you on
such an important issue that impacts on the lives of many learners,
their families and friends. This is an issue of grave concern for
the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, but also for the whole
province, our beloved country and for the world.
As we are aware, the incidence of suicide is on the increase in
South Africa as well as all over the world, especially, suicide
amongst our young people, our adolescents, and it is even spreading
to our children as young as 10 years of age. The shocking facts are
that the suicide rate for children aged 10 to 14 years old has more
than doubled over the last fifteen years.
Suicide and attempted suicide is something that we can not run away
from, we have no option but to face the realities and to do
something about it.
2. Impact of suicide on KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education
The results from the first South African National Youth Risk
Behaviour Survey that was conducted in 2002 by the Medical Research
Council and the Department of Health confronted us with the reality
of how our young people really feel about life. At a national level
24,6% of learners indicated that they felt so sad or had such
hopeless feelings that they wanted to stop living. In our Province
the percentage was 21% of learners felt like this! Ladies and
gentlemen, we are talking about one out of five learners! 19% of
our learners considered attempting suicide, 14,2% of those who
indicated their feelings of hopelessness, actually made a plan to
commit suicide, sadly, 24,6 of those who felt hopeless, made a
suicide attempt that required medical treatment.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education had to take these results
into account if we want this department to be the leading
department in the country. Our province has the biggest number of
school going children in the country, i.e. 2 764 435 learners in
6014 schools. If we apply the statistics to our Province, you will
agree with me, that all our schools accommodate learners who feel
sad and hopeless and therefore, need some support and
intervention.
Our officials had to deal with the trauma experienced by friends of
learners who committed suicide and those who actually survived a
suicide attempt and try to pick up the pieces of broken
lives.
As Department of Education we are aware that there are many causes
for negative life experiences and depression that may result in
suicide and attempted suicide. Some of these causes can be related
to the barriers to learning and development that are experienced by
many of our learners – these barriers include: * Extrinsic
Barriers such as lack of access to basic services, poverty,
socio-emotional disfunctioning of the learner, physical, emotional
and sexual abuse, political violence, domestic / community violence
and crime, the impact of HIV/AIDS on those affected and infected
and substance abuse * Intrinsic Barriers, such as disabilities,
genetically predisposed depression is also barriers to take into
account.
Dealing with suicide is a complex matter; our main objective in the
Department of Education is to provide education to all learners. As
we are aware, we do not function within little boxes, therefore,
the Department of Education provides education in a holistic way,
taking into account the needs of the learner as a person. We
realise that this complex matter of suicide is not something that
we can tackle on our own - we do not have sufficient manpower or
the facilities, and therefore, it is necessary for us to take hands
with other role players in this field so that we can become
partners to develop programmes in an attempt to prevent the
increasing numbers of learners that feel so hopeless that they want
to end their lives; we need partners to assist us in dealing with
the trauma of learners in our schools; we need each other to save
our children!
The Department of Education is privileged to have Prof Schlebusch
as one of our primer partners, he is one of the world’s
renown experts in this field, he has tremendous experience and
skills, and above all, he started his career within our department
– Prof Schlebusch we are proud to have you as one of our sons
and appreciate your assistance, your guidance and the sharing of
your knowledge with us. Dr Schlebusch and his team are assisting us
to develop an appropriate prevention programme that we can take to
our schools. We thank you for this.
3. Policies addressing the issue:
The national department and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Education have several policy documents in place that promotes the
protection of children, including the prevention of suicide. Our
province has protocols in place that specifically deals with the
management of trauma such as suicide, child abuse and neglect. An
inter-sectoral collaborative approach forms the basis of all
policies.
* Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) - grades R - 9
(2002) and National Curriculum Statement Further Education
Training: The RNCS adopts an inclusive approach by specifying
minimum requirements for all learners. The special educational,
social, emotional and physical needs of learners will be addressed
in the design and development of appropriate learning programmes.
The Learning Area Statements provide a guideline of requirements
and expectations from Grade R to 9. The RNCS has tried to ensure
that all Learning Area Statements reflect the principles and
practices of social justice, respect for the environment and human
rights as defined in the Constitution. In particular, the
curriculum attempts to be sensitive to issues of poverty,
inequality, race, gender, age, disability and such challenges as
HIV/AIDS. The Life Orientation Learning Area guides and prepares
learners for life and its possibilities. Life Orientation
specifically equips learners for meaningful and successful living
in a rapidly changing and transforming society. It develops skills,
knowledge, values and attitudes that empower learners to make
informed decisions and take appropriate actions regarding:
* Health Promotion
* Social Development
* Personal development
* Physical development and movement
* Orientation to the world of work.
* Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education: Building an
Inclusive Education and Training System:
The White Paper 6 focuses on the transformation of the former
segregation of learners with disabilities to a system of inclusive
education where the principle of “Quality Education for
All” forms the basis of the document. The term
“inclusive education” can be defined as:
* Acknowledging that all children and youth can learn and that all
children need support * Enabling education structures, systems and
learning methodologies to meet the needs of all learners
* Acknowledging and respecting differences in learners, whether due
to age, gender, ethnicity, language, class, disability, HIV/AIDS or
other infectious diseases
* Broader than formal schooling and acknowledging that learning
also occurs in the home and community, and within formal and
informal setting and structures
* Changing attitudes, behaviour, teaching methods, curricula and
environment to meet the needs of all learners
* Maximising the participation of all learners in the culture and
the curriculum of educational institutions and uncovering and
minimising barriers to learning.
The White Paper 6 outline the strategies to address barriers to
education, of which child abuse and neglect are also seen as
“barriers to education”
* National Policy on HIV/AIDS for learners and educators in public
schools, and students and educators in Further Education and
Training Institutions:
This policy seeks to contribute towards promoting effective
prevention and care within the context of the public education
system with regard to HIV/AIDS. It deals with the protection of
learners who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, the provision
to implement universal precautions to eliminate the risk of
transmission in an effective way as well as provision for an
effective and sustainable education programme on HIV/AIDS. Age
appropriate education on HIV/AIDS forms part of the curriculum for
all learners and are integrated in the life skills education
programme for pre-primary, primary and secondary school learners.
This programme forms part of the Life Orientation Learning Area as
is outlined in the Revised National Curriculum Statement.
The programme includes the following:
* Providing information on HIV/AIDS and developing life skills
necessary for the prevention of HIV transmission as well as basic
first aid principles;
* Emphasising the role of drugs, sexual abuse and violence, and
sexually transmitted diseases in the transmission of HIV, and
empowering learners to deal with these situations; * Encouraging
learners to make use of heath car, counselling and support services
offered by community service organisations and other
disciplines;
learners and students how to behave towards persons with HIV/AIDS,
raising awareness on prejudice and stereotypes around HIV/AIDS; *
Cultivating an enabling environment and a culture of
non-discrimination towards people with HIV/AIDS; and
* Providing information on appropriate prevention and avoidance
measures, including abstinence from sexual intercourse and
immorality, the use of condoms, faithfulness to one’s
partner, obtaining prompt medical treatment for sexually
transmitted diseases and tuberculoses, avoiding traumatic contact
with blood, and the application of universal precautions.
This policy also provides for the establishment of a possible
Health Advisory Committee in each school that can offer support and
guidelines to the school.
* National Policy on the Management of Drug Abuse by Learners in
Public and Independent Schools and Further Education and Training
Institutions:
This policy gives clear guidelines to schools for the management of
learners and educators who are experimenting with, using, abusing,
dealing in and in possession of drugs. The policy deals with drug
screening and searches of learners. Education and information on
intervention strategies as well as a School management plan form an
important part of this policy.
South African Schools Act, Act 84 of 1996: This Act provides for a
uniform system for the organisation, governance and funding of
schools. An important part of this Act is the establishment of
School Governing Bodies that promotes parent participation in the
governance of the school. One of their responsibilities is to
develop a Code of Conduct for learners.
* Guidelines for the consideration of governing bodies in adopting
a code of conduct for learners:
Guidelines have been established that specifically deals with the
rights and responsibilities of learners. Non-violence and the
freedom and security of learners are ensured.
* Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools:
These regulations deals with the promotion of violence and drug
free schools, and access to public school premises. This serves to
protect learners from all forms of violence and issues such as
abduction and exploitation.
* Regulations to Prohibit initiation Practices in Schools:
These regulations place the responsibility on principals. Educators
and governing bodies to ensure that learners will be protected
against initiation practices that endangers the mental or physical
health or safety of the learner; undermines the intrinsic worth of
learners; submission to humiliating or violent acts which undermine
the dignity of the child; undermines the fundamental rights and
values that underpin the Constitution; destroys public or private
property.
* Signposts for Safe Schools:
The Department of Education and the Department of Safety and
Security have developed a manual "Signposts for Safe Schools" that
deals with several social issues that impact on the safety at
schools. This document is intended to provide schools with
strategies to address specific social issues, focussing on
improving the impact, authority and efficiency of school management
and school services, development of policies, procedures and plans
for their implementation, including policies for non-adherence, and
strategies to involve, mobilise and capacitate youth in prevention
programmes, projects and campaigns. The manual deals with issues
such as bullying, gangs, racism, guns and weapons, truancy,
witchcraft, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, stress and suicide and substance
abuse.
* Girls Education Movement (GEM): GEM is a child-centred, child-led
grassroots movement that was launched in March 2003 in Parliament.
The objectives are as follows: * To protect and promote the rights
of all girls to quality education
* To enable African girls to participate in decision making about
their education * To provide girls with opportunities to develop
and exercise their leadership and technical skills * To tap the
potential of boys, men and women to work in partnership with girls
to promote equitable, accessible, high quality education in Africa
and trough education to create equitable, justice societies
* To protect the rights of girls with special needs and any child
at risk of exploitation or abuse in or outside school
* To sensitise key actors in the importance of girls education and
mobilise policies and programs that will ensure quality education
for all girls.
Employment of Educators Act, Act 76 of 1998: This Act provides for
the employment of educators, for the regulation of the conditions
of service, discipline, retirement and discharge of educators and
for matters connected therewith.
One of the provisions of this Act is the dismissal of an educator
if he or she is found guilty of theft, bribery, fraud or an act of
corruption in regard to examinations or promotional reports;
committing an act of sexual assault on a learners, student or other
employee; having an sexual relationship with a learner of the
school where he or she is employed; seriously assaulting, with the
intention to do grievous bodily harm to a learner; illegal
possession of an intoxicating, illegal or stupefying substance; or
causing a learner to perform any of the acts contemplated in this
paragraph.
South African Council of Educators Act, Act 31 of 2000:
The Code of Professional Ethics that forms part of this Act,
clearly states that an educator should avoid any form of
humiliation and refrains from any form of abuse, physical or
psychological; should refrains from improper physical contact with
learners; refrains from any form of sexual harassment, physical or
otherwise, of learners; refrains from any form of sexual
relationship with learners at a school. It is expected of an
educator to use appropriate language and behaviour in his or her
interaction with learner, and acts in such a way as to elicit
respect from the learners; takes responsible steps to ensure the
safety of the learner.
Ladies and gentlemen, as I have rightfully mentioned, we do have
policies in place to address this serious and sad issue, but how do
we as KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education implement these
policies?
4. Current Programmes
The department is currently in partnership with the Media in
Education Trust and the Royal Netherlands Embassy to establish and
promote a model for schools to be centres of care and support for
orphans and vulnerable children. We are convinced that this project
will assist us to improve the lives of our learners so that they
will experience feelings of happiness and joy.
The following directorates are directly involved with policy
implementation and have the following programmes. These programmes
have an inter-sectoral approach and directorates are working in
collaboration with each other to ensure the most effective service
delivery:
Within the Curriculum:
Programmes within the Life Orientation Learning Area
* Health promotion – Learning programmes to raise awareness
with regard to dangers of substance abuse, risky life styles
* Social development - Life skills to cope effectively and to make
the rights choices and decisions, programmes for the development of
a positive self-esteem
* Personal development - Values and norms * Physical development
and movement
Support Programmes:
The Directorate Psychological Guidance and Special Education
Services (PGSES) provide support with regard to psychological-,
social work- and counselling needs. They are involved with the
following empowerment programmes for educators and learners:
* Dealing with high risk issues - Child abuse, Substance abuse,
violence, sexual activities, teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS
(Prevention, management, care and support)
* Ensure and assist with development of programme for the practical
implementation of policies
* Support to schools with regard to early identification of
learners with social-emotional problems as a result of substance
abuse – learner self or parent/care giver
* Provide consultation and guidance with regard to available care
and support services, such as welfare facilities, rehabilitation
centres, out-patient treatment, and other related services
* Consult and Assist schools with the development of programmes to
address issues such as addiction, treatment and prevention
* Part of an inter-sectoral team to develop programmes and to
address and assist with specific issues, e.g. strategies to manage
challenges such as awareness, prevention and management of learners
with psycho-socio- and emotional problems
* Participate in Care and Support programmes for educators and
learners in the management of trauma
The Directorate for Education Management and Governance Development
(EMGD) has several programmes to empower schools and to ensure
implementation of Policies at all levels, i.e. School Management
Teams, School Governing Bodies, and Representative Council for
Learners.
Inter-Sectoral Partners
The department is privileged to have good collaboration and
co-operation from other government departments in addressing
challenges such as suicide. , We work closely with the Office of
the Premier, Dept of Health, Dept of Social Welfare, Dept of
Agriculture, Local Government and others
We appreciate the partnership with the non-governmental
organisation sector, i.e. Life Line, SANCA, Child Welfare
Organisations, Faith Based Organisations, Lawyers for Human Rights,
SA Human Rights Commission, Children’s Rights Centre,
Childline, MiET, ELET and others.
5. Way Forward:
As I have mentioned, we cannot address and deal with this challenge
on our own, that is why we are here – to learn more and to
take hands so that we can all preserve the lives of our children,
to let them grow and develop into adults who would be able to cope
with life and to live life with enthusiasm and hope for the
future!
Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
13 September 2005
Map
