A note on school safety law

Abstract

The electronic and printed media carry many reports on incidents where learners or other persons cause damage, injury or even death at public schools. There is also disturbing information on the possession and use of drugs by learners. During 2006 the Minister of Education announced a review of the current regulations providing for safety measures in schools. The minister hinted, inter alia, at greater powers of search. At the time of writing of this contribution (March 2007) no such regulations had been promulgated. The two existing sets of regulations, namely, “Regulations for safety measures at public schools” (GG 22754 dated 2001-10-12) and “Regulations relating to safety measures at independent schools” (GG 26663 dated 2004-08-20) are, to say the least, not models of drafting excellence and are clearly in need of thorough review. The two sets are basically identical – which also raises the question why a single instrument could not have been promulgated in which the few differences between public schools and independent schools could have been accommodated.