Education department should learn from drowning incident: Chiloane

The Gauteng education department needs to strengthen its school excursion regulations in light of the recent drowning of two pupils in Centurion, education MEC Matome Chiloane said on Wednesday. 

Chiloane said this at the funeral service of Siphamandla Peterson, 15, and Sibusiso Sibiya, 17, in Thembisa. The pupils from Daveyton Skill School drowned while they were attending a disciplinary camp held by NGO Rising Stars Generation last week. 

“What we should do is strengthen the protocol. If a school knows they are going to a place where there is water or a swimming pool, there needs to be a particular ratio ... one educator, one night guard per 10 children ... so that an educator knows 24/7 (where the children are),” Chiloane said. 

He said the regulations were already there, but some people were not adhering to them. He also said all school trips need to be sanctioned by the department.

“There is no such thing as a disciplinary camp. The disciplining of a child is the responsibility of the family. Our job is to teach children. It is not our responsibility to discipline.

“Corporal punishment was banished. It is the job of a school to teach, develop and enhance the talent of a child,” Chiloane said. 

Chiloane apologised for what happened.

“This is not the time to defend ourselves. As the leader of the department I should take accountability. The best way to demonstrate that we have learnt is what we do in future. We have a responsibility to make sure that we learn from what happened to our children.” 

He said since the drowning, much had happened. 

“We have appointed a (law) firm to investigate. They are bringing an independent view because we know workers change stories and protect themselves. To avoid that we are bringing people from outside who cannot be contaminated by the politics in the department but to do their work ethically with integrity and honesty.” 

 He said the deceased would never be forgotten.

 “These children will always be a reminder of what we should do right.” 

 TimesLIVE