Sunday Times - Tuesday, 7 September, 2004

Now the school has become a model institution and the matric pass rate has soared from an appalling 20% to 60%.

This is thanks to a school crime-prevention pilot project introduced to 40 Soweto-based schools five years ago.

Overall, the Tiisa Thuto (We Strengthen Education) Schools Project has resulted in the number of aggressive acts falling by 72%, attendance improving by 70 % and the pass rate leaping by 78% in the schools in which it has been implemented.

The project aims to reduce crime by improving relations between teachers, parents, pupils, police and the community.

It will be introduced into troubled schools in Mamelodi and surrounding areas in northern Gauteng this month.

The project is a partnership between the government, non-governmental organisations and Business Against Crime.

Mandlenkosi Mchunu, Emndeni Secondary School's principal, this week said the project had been a "resounding success".

"Teaching in Soweto was not good. We had serious problems with pupils taking drugs, carrying guns and knives, and being generally aggressive - but thanks to this programme, that has changed. The environment in our school is now conducive to learning.

Kenny Fihla, chief executive of Business Against Crime, said the plan was to introduce the project to other provinces by early next year.

He added that the programme focused on reducing acts of aggression and improving school attendance, pass rates and teacher morale. It also increased parent involvement in school matters.

Fihla said the programme was implemented through workshops where all stakeholders were taught to deal with issues like drug abuse, aggression and the carrying of weapons at schools.

"There is more communication between teachers and parents and teacher morale is high," he said.

"We have discovered that most perpetrators of aggression are abused themselves and it is important to deal with the problem at its root. This is why our programmes involve everyone: teachers, parents, pupils and the community they live in," Fihla said.

Mlonyeni Mbatha, principal of Emathafeni Primary School in Zondi and the project committee co-ordinator, said the project had helped teachers to deal with various problems.

"Educators are not trained as psychologists but this programme has helped many to properly deal with issues like neglect, abuse and trauma which they otherwise would not have been able to deal with," he said.

Poppy Khala, project director, said Tiisa Thuto had approached various government departments, including sport and recreation, public works and social development, with a view to expanding the project.

"We are consolidating the project at the 40 schools where it was piloted and our aim now is to take it to new schools where there are high patterns of crime," she said.

"The type of things portrayed in Yizo Yizo do happen at our schools. Many parents like to believe that their children are good, but they don't go to school to find out what is happening. We have rapes, murders and guns being brought to our schools by children," she added.

Nompumelelo Mabena, 15, a Grade 10 pupil at Emndeni Secondary School, agreed that the project had made a positive impact on her school.

"The situation has improved a lot. Our matric pass rate is a lot better than what it used to be," she said.

Mabena is one of many peer counsellors who advise schoolmates on issues ranging from HIV/Aids and drug abuse to sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy.

"Most pupils are afraid to tell their parents or teachers about their problems but find it easier to talk to people their own age."

She said teenage pregnancies had been a major problem.

"On average we had about 20 pupils falling pregnant each year. It was like a competition, but now the numbers have come down," Mabena said.

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