The police in Gauteng will be visiting schools across the province as part of the annual beginning of the year roll out of the School Safety Programme that is informed by the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the South African Police Service and the Department of Basic Education.

The SAPS in Gauteng is committed to ensuring schools in the province are a safe environment for pupils to learn. Through the Adopt a Cop project, members at different police stations have “adopted” schools in their policing precinct. These partnerships have been established and are sustained to enable the school management to have a designated police officer as a point of contact to access the services that he school might need from the police station.

The designated police officers are responsible for creating awareness at schools and sensitising learners on the dangers of bullying, substance abuse, dealing in drugs, carrying of dangerous weapons as well as gangsterism among other things.

The police will also focus their efforts on engaging parents on the safety of their children when they are being dropped off and picked up from schools.

Safety tips:

*When dropping kids off at school, ensure that the kids have safely entered the school yard before driving off.

*Teach children to move away from strangers at all times, to never give or tell strangers their name or where they live.

* Do not write the child names or details on their backpacks or where it will be easily accessible to strangers.

* Encourage children to use the buddy system and avoid walking or playing alone outside or in public places.

* Practice basic safety skills with your child and teach them to memorise important information such as emergency contact details.

*If you suspect that your child may be missing, act immediately by reporting at your nearest police station, there is no waiting period to report a missing child.

Source: South African Police Service