The Western Cape Education
Department will once again offer holiday programmes during the winter school
holidays.
The MEC of Education
Department, Debbie Schafer, said over the holiday period the WCED’s safe
schools directorate arranged increased security at some high risk identified
schools.
Four hundred and thirteen
schools will benefit from holiday security, 56 schools will have 24 hour
security while 357 will have 12 hour security and benefit from cluster patrols.
MEC Schafer added that the Education Department specifically
has safe schools holiday programs in each district, covering topics such as peer pressure, moral values,
substance abuse, HIV/Aids and sexual abuse, also truancy, gangsterism and
bullying.
Schafer explained that there
is also a programmed designed for young women called Girls in Motion Life
Skills Programme as well as fun activities such hiking, kayaking, board games,
arts and crafts as well as drama and dance classes.
The Department of Community
Safety continues as well with ongoing and targeted youth programmes and
interventions across the province.
With R5.8 million spent on
benefiting 27 000 children and youth over the past three years already, this
year the programme will expand to R8 million for both June and December
holidays.
MEC of Community Safety, Dan
Plato explained that the Department of Community Safety partnered with 119
religious institutions, both mosques and churches to reach out to the
youngsters to get them off the streets and into a safe environment.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape
Department of Social Development plans to host numerous school holiday
programmes through the youth programme in the department and via the six
regional offices.
Some of the programmes will be
held in partnership with provincial and local government structures across the
province.
MEC of Social Development,
Albert Fritz said an important point about the holiday programme is that it
always forms part of the annual performance plan.
He explained that the
programme is conceptualized and planned from April 1 right through March,
taking into consideration the holiday periods.
Fritz also explained that most
of the programs are determined by kids, by the youth, and that they have a say
in how the programs are run.
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