The Gauteng Department of Social Development (GDSD) in partnership with its sister department, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) launched the provincial School Social Work Programme last week Friday.
This programme seeks to provide social work services in Gauteng schools in the absence of social work capacity in GDE to deliver psychosocial services and support to learners and families in high-risk schools.
Both departments entered in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2018 seeing that it had become increasingly clear over the years that the need for school social work services within the education system was essential.
This collaborative partnership was strengthened following the horrifying spike of violence that happened in 2019 at Forest Hill High School in Turffontein, where a grade 11 pupil stabbed three other pupils, with one in grade eight that unfortunately passed away.
Another dismaying incident happened in 2020, at Modiri Secondary School where a heart-breaking video of a 19-year-old pouring milk over another pupil and thereafter using the empty carton to hit the other pupil went viral.
These incidences, and many others that preceded them were stark reminders of the importance of school social work services.
Speaking to key stakeholders such as school principals, educational psychologists, and the human rights council, Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe said violence and bullying in schools has hindered progress and development of learners but also the education output.
"These issues found in the schooling system have led to the fostering of relations between the Department of Social Development and the Department of Education in our Province," said Mosupyoe.
"Through the signing of the MOU, the Department of Social Development and Education established effective working relations. Our strides, as stated in the MOU, is to ensure that schools receive psychosocial support to improve conditions of learning, address social, emotional, and behavioural barriers to learning that impede on learners' functioning and development. Notwithstanding, that we contribute to the overall well-being and academic performance of learners within a healthy, safe, and secure environment have progressed positively."
"However, we would like to appeal to the Department of Education to ensure that in the schools concerned, our social workers receive adequate support and working spaces to create a conducive environment for them to offer their services to pupils," said Mosupyoe.
She further encouraged the National Department of Social Development to consider developing the school social work programme as a national programme.
Outlining the importance of the programme MEC Lesufi emphasized the importance of getting education right to get the society right as everything starts and end with education. He further identified areas of integration to ensure that the programme is sustainable.
"Curriculum input for betterment of learners is most needed in subjects such Life Orientation to improve our intervention in areas such as substance abuse, child abuse and bullying. These areas of concern must be incorporated, so that our education system is also able to respond adequately to social ills.
Feedback loop for learners to report and form of abuse must be established and be properly monitored. Data collected from this mechanism must strengthen our response and intervention. Furthermore, we need to have a hotline managed by government, that will be able to responds promptly to issues and protect learners. We need to be upfront and visible in our schools, so that learners will have access to social intervention services", concluded MEC Lesufi.
The launch was attended by guest speakers from various organization who made inputs on the School Social Work Programme.