Police lay down the law at Hazendal Primary
Police laid down the law at Hazendal Primary School last week after teachers complained that the pupils were getting out of hand.
The teachers pleaded with the school’s governing body for help as there were pupils who were bunking school, bullying each other and bringing drugs onto the school grounds, according to Nicole Williams, the school resource officer for City Law Enforcement.
Police and City Law Enforcement officers, as well as school auxiliary workers and Night Crawlers Neighbourhood Watch members, patrolled the school on Thursday November 3, checking bags, uniforms and attendance.
The joint operation - a pilot project involving SAPS, Law Enforcement, the Metro Police, the City’s traffic department and the school governing body - was meant to improve safety at the school for both staff and pupils, said Officer Williams, adding that it was hard to spot potential threats at the school because many of the pupils did not wear a uniform.
Most of the pupils were from Nyanga, Langa, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha while others were from the area, she said.
There was a lot of racism and bullying, some of the pupils were involved in gangsterism, they used and sold drugs and threatened teachers and other pupils, she said.
Some deregistered pupils from Bokmakierie, she added, were threatening and robbing pupils, preventing them from attending school.
“We need to find out why certain kids are not in school and rectify the situation. We are here to help and take back our school. We are here to ensure that pupils comply with the school rules,” she said.
“Another issue we need to address is littering and the possession of fireworks. They need to respect their school uniform: what you wear is who you are.
“The educators need this intervention; they don't know what to do anymore. They were crying as they spoke to us. They are being threatened and assaulted on a daily basis. We need to hold parents responsible for their children.”
Nicole Coetzee, the chairwoman of the Night Crawlers Neighbourhood Watch in Hazendal, said the children were being influenced by gangsters and teachers were having endless problems with pupils’ behaviour.
“Children are disrespectful, their attitude is horrible. Teachers don’t have any control of the kids. All of the schools in the area are struggling. We need to put models in place here because if this continues when will it stop?”
She also called for the intervention of the traffic department because there had been cases of children being injured in the area after being knocked down by taxis.
Vispol support commander at Athlone police station, Captain Andre Petersen, said parents should be responsible for their children and check they got to school on time. The children’s lack of respect for their teachers and peers would only be to their detriment in the long run.
“It’s sad because these kids are so young, they are our future adults. It is scary to think that this is our future. The solution is more intervention and discipline. Parents must come on board to assist. Children are not only the teacher’s problem. The principal must inform the parents and the necessary authorities when he needs to. They are still young and can still be guided in right direction,” he said.
Chevonne Klaasen, the secretary of the school’s discipline committee, said there had been an immediate improvement in pupil behaviour following the involvement of the police. She said that the presence of school auxiliary workers and neighbourhood watch members every day helped with pupil behaviour.
“It really has helped a lot. Drivers are also much more respectful of the scholar patrol. Before, they just used to drive through it. Disruptive pupils are now taken out of class and addressed by these officers, and once they understand and adhere to rules, they are returned back to the classroom.”
