By Lebone Rodah Mosima
The North West Department of Education is again considering reviving the Adopt-a-Cop programme after three schools were damaged by fires within two weeks.
“The MEC is planning an urgent engagement with the Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service to discuss strengthened collaboration and interventions aimed at improving the safety and security of schools across the province,” department spokesperson Mercy Mokgatle told Inside Education.
She said among the potential interventions could be the “resuscitation and strengthening” of programmes such as Adopt-a-Cop.
The province has previously used Adopt-a-Cop to link police officers with schools. Talks about reviving it have been ongoing since 2019.
“The department is taking the matter seriously and is intensifying its efforts to strengthen the protection of school infrastructure,” she said.
Although several community members have said they believe the fires could be the result of arson, Mokgatle said the circumstances were still under investigation.
The latest fire took place at Phakisang Primary School in Ottoshoop, near Mahikeng, on Saturday.
The department said a general assistant at the school received a call that afternoon informing him that the school was on fire.
When he arrived, books stored in one of the mobile classrooms were burning.
“In addition, a tyre and plastic hosepipes were found burning underneath two other mobile classrooms,” the department said.
“The South African Police Service and the Fire Department were immediately called to the scene. The fire was extinguished before it could spread and cause extensive damage to the school infrastructure.”
The fire damaged the classroom floor, learners’ workbooks, educators’ files and other documents, as well as the classroom chalkboard.
It followed two school fires in the Bojanala District.
Provincial education MEC Sebonta Francinah Desbo Mohono said the number of fires in such a short period was “unacceptable”.
“Last week, two schools were burnt in the Bojanala District, severely affecting the Department’s infrastructure and its ability to provide conducive learning environments,” Mohono said.
“Schools are public properties. They belong to the communities in which they are situated, and communities must take pride in protecting and preserving their schools. We cannot allow the destruction of public infrastructure that is intended to serve our children and communities.”
Mohono said the fires took place at a critical stage of the academic year, when learners were revising and Grade 12 pupils were writing trial exams.
She said the circumstances surrounding the Phakisang Primary School fire had raised “concerns” that it may have been deliberately started.
“If confirmed, such acts are aimed at derailing the Department from achieving its objective of ensuring that learners are provided with a safe, secure and conducive environment in which to learn and succeed,” she said.
But she stressed that investigations into the incidents were continuing and that the department could not yet determine whether the three fires were connected or deliberately started.
“The matters have been reported to the relevant authorities, and investigations are underway,” Mokgatle said.
“We will await the outcome of these investigations before drawing any conclusions regarding possible links between the incidents.”
“Any information regarding whether the fires were deliberately started, as well as possible suspects or persons of interest, will be communicated by the relevant investigating authorities when it is appropriate to do so,” she said.
She said the department also plans to review security arrangements and access controls at affected and vulnerable schools.
“Security challenges differ from one school and community to another, and interventions will therefore need to take into account the specific circumstances and needs of individual schools.”
Mohono is expected to embark on a stakeholder outreach programme next week to mobilise communities and other partners to help protect schools.
“The Department is particularly calling on communities to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity around school premises to the police and relevant authorities,” Mokgatle said.
INSIDE METROS
