By Bongekile Gumede
Al Ansaar School Matters radio presenter and education activist, Sumaya Khan, recently hosted teachers, community activists and delegates from the Department of Education, the Provincial Chief Director for Governance in KZN, DM Mthethwa and KZN Head of Communications for Education, Muzi Mhlambi, among other dignitaries for a Safety and Security in School Workshop at the Al Ansaar Hall in Overport.
Khan said that the workshop was created as a spin-off from her show after she realised the need for the community to understand that schools do not work in isolation and they need to work with the communities, especially in the Springfield, Overport, Clare Estate, Reservoir Hills and Morningside areas which have had incidents of shootings, bullying, hijackings, ancestral callings and racial tension.
“I feel the policy is not enough as the Department of Education, and sometimes the police, cannot assist so the community, school principals, teachers and local community policing forums need to intervene and work together in finding solutions on how to react in these situations and what can be done to make the situations work for us.
“Also, a lot of educators do not have an understanding of the learners or where they come from as whatever happens in the communities spills into the schools. A teacher cannot just go there to teach and also assist with behavioural issues without understanding the background of the learners,” said Khan.
She said the idea of the workshop was for all the stakeholders to assist each other where they can by sharing telephone numbers, collaborating and communicating with each other and practising the spirit of Ubuntu and humanity.
“The province has been going through so much – Covid-19, floods, the unrest and electrical cuts – and our province is very sensitive. As a non-Black educator, how can I understand and address a situation where a learner is experiencing racial tension and visa versa. We need to understand one another, bring back that human aspect, empathy and assistance in our education and also the aspect of respect. Now with our learners, teaching has become like a war-zone. Everyone is frustrated and they feel lost, especially government educators.
“The aim was to assist everyone and also to bring department officials on board and other stakeholders such as Imtiaz Syed who is an activist and CPF leader and now a councillor in our area, Ingelo Zulu, and the Youth and Crime chairperson in KZN, Busi from the Berea CPF, the ActionSA KZN leader, SASSA and everyone who can play a role in assisting the teachers,” said Khan.
She said this workshop was the first of many which will ensure that educators know how to react and the community knows what needs to be done if a situation arises. The SASSA representative informed the dignitaries and attendees of the different grants SASSA has on offer and social worker, Thandeka Nxumalo, touched on the various services offered by social workers which should be made available at schools.
Busi of Berea CPF said that parents, learners, teachers and community members can contact her for advice on 082-937-3599.
