Student safety becomes a top priority

19 Sep 2018

Higher Education and Training Minister Naledi Pandor will soon meet the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and Universities South Africa (USAF) to discuss steps to be taken to deal with the violence at higher education and training institutions countrywide.

This follows reports of several violent incidents, including the deaths of students at University of Zululand and University of KwaZulu-Natal, over the weekend. Both incidents are alleged to involve fatal assaults.

Pandor said the role of alcohol and other substances in such events should be investigated.

Expressing her condolences to the families of the students who died, Minister Pandor said she was extremely saddened and concerned about these incidents of violence in institutions.

“I call on vice chancellors to prioritise their institutional protocols on student safety and I intend to meet the vice chancellors as soon as possible to develop a sector approach to confront this scourge,” the Minister said.

The Minister also urged peaceful resolution of conflicts and improved security at functions and residences.

Draft Policy and Strategy on GBV

Meanwhile, Pandor has directed her department to expedite the finalisation of the Draft Policy and Strategy on Gender-Based Violence in the Post-School Education and Training Sector.

“This will assist institutions of higher education and training to be proactive in dealing with campus and residence violence,” Pandor said.

Source: SAnews.gov.za

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