Cape Town - New guidelines on playground safety at schools are to come into effect on July 1.
“We are optimistic that by taking such precautionary steps we can reduce the number of incidents in our playgrounds that are harmful to our learners,” Education MEC Donald Grant said.
“We are also optimistic that increased supervision will decrease unruly behaviour in these areas during break and before and after school.”
He added that safety and security at schools did not relate only to “fencing, burglar guards and alarm systems or programmes to address substance abuse, gangsterism, assault and violence”.
“There is, however, another element of safety that is often seen as less critical but which is equally important – that is playground safety at schools, both during break-time and before and after school hours.”
The document, “Guidelines on Playground Safety in Public Schools”, was released to schools recently.
It communicates the responsibilities of the principal and teachers when dealing with safety on the playground.
“For instance, ensuring that there are sufficient supervisors for the number of learners, that training is made available for the supervisors on safety rules and use of playground equipment, that learners are educated on how to use playground equipment and facilities safely, and that the school drafts written playground safety rules.”
The principal should, with the school governing body, develop a roster for playground supervision and declare a designated area for break-time and an area for pupils waiting for transport.
“A simple and basic environmental survey must also be produced quarterly to ensure that the surface, the perimeter demarcations, the equipment and plants in the area are all suitable for a playground,” Grant said.
A teacher should be on playground duty to ensure pupils used equipment safely. - Cape Times