By Puisano News Reporter
The ongoing School Awareness Progamme within Metsimaholo Local Municipality, is aimed at shaping responsible, confident, and informed future leaders. The programme is focusing at both primary and secondary schools in the area.
Spearheaded under the Future for the Kids Stakeholders Team banner, the team is led by Community Development Worker, Winnie Mayekiso, and is composed of many other partners such as Departments of Education, Correctional Services, Roads and Transport, South African Police Service, amongst others.
Mayekiso said the team is more concerned with addressing challenges mostly faced by these schools of unwanted behaviour of the learners, and emphasizing the importance of education and making good choices.
“Some of these unwanted behaviours by learners include bullying, lack of respect, drugs and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and other unique cases we do pick up from one school to the other”said Mayekiso.
“With various partners we have on board we are then able to refer each case to the relevant party to address” added Mayekiso. Some of the cases the team does pick up are that of vulnerable and needy children from poor family backgrounds. Mayekiso said they make referrals where necessary, and the team is able to make necessary interventions.
“Some of the challenges are that of learners without necessary documents such as birth certificates and study permits. The team also conducts unannounced school searches, do follow-ups and evaluate their work” said Mayekiso.
Mayekiso said although the team is doing necessary interventions, there are still challenges along the way, “In most schools, members of the School Governing Body are not attending these sessions besides being invited, these absence affects our interventions as they play a crucial part in the school environment”, said Mayekiso.
The team hopes to include parents in their future consultations.
“The team has until now conducted the programme in all secondary schools in Metsimaholo and are only left with few primary schools to attend. We are inspired by the learner’s active participation and curiosity. Starting awareness at the primary school level is key to shaping responsible, confident, and informed future leaders” concludes Mayekiso.
Other partners include Tsietsi Foundation, NPA, CDWs, LQBTQI+, Ward Councillors, The Abbaqua Khosani, Thee White Security, Thembalihle Crime Prevention Foundation, Sanca, Cpf and Pastor Papi Mbele, Modiehi Mongale Foundation, Kopanang Babulotsi and Rejuvenation Community Trust.
