Department of Education Releases Guidelines on Playground Safety at Schools

Statement by Donald Grant, Minister of Education.

Safe and secure learning environments are essential if we are to ensure that quality education is being delivered.

One might assume that safety and security relate only to physical infrastructure at schools such as fencing, burglar guards and alarm systems or programmes to address substance abuse, gangsterism, assault and violence.

The WCED does invest heavily in these areas. In 2014/2015, the WCED has allocated R27 million to the Safe Schools directorate which will be used to provide targeted support to schools to address these issues and physical security needs.

There is, however, another element of safety that is often seen as less critical, but which is equally important – that is playground safety at schools – both during break-time and before and after school hours.

The WCED have therefore recently released a guideline to schools entitled, Guidelines on Playground Safety in Public Schools in the Western Cape.

The purpose of these guidelines is to identify and disseminate best practices in respect of playground safety at schools and to assist schools in ensuring a safe and healthy playground environment for learners.

In order to ensure safety in the playground, careful planning and deliberate action are needed.

The guidelines therefore communicate to schools the roles and responsibilities of the principal and the educators on how to best deal with safety on the playground. For instance; ensuring that there are sufficient supervisors for the number of learners; that training is made available for the supervisors on safety rules and use of playground equipment; that learners are educated on how to use playground equipment and facilities safely, and that the school drafts written playground safety rules.

The guidelines state the principal should, in consultation with the governing body, develop a roster for playground supervision, including times both before school each morning and after school each afternoon, and declare a supervised designated play area for break time and waiting area for learners who are waiting for transport.

Educators should also be offered guidance on how to handle incidents on the playground. A simple and basic environmental survey must also be produced quarterly to ensure that the surface, the perimeter demarcations, the equipment and plants in the area are all suitable for a playground, taking cognizance of the age and maturity levels of the learners.

The guidelines state that the educator on playground duty should ensure that the playground equipment and facilities are used appropriately and that learners do not engage in dangerous behavior while using such equipment and facilities. They are also to assist injured learners who require first aid. Broken equipment or any other dangerous hazards, must also be reported.

The guidelines also warn schools of the dangers of various plant materials that could be found in playgrounds. The vast majority of plants have a measure of toxicity in order to protect themselves from extinction. It is only when they are ingested in large amounts that there is any danger to learners.

Botanical experts suggest that common South African garden plants, such as Frangipani, Oleander, the Camphor Tree and the Castor Oil Tree, be avoided in and around a playground used by younger learners, as well as any trees or shrubs that have accessible thorns.

The guidelines contain precautionary measures that should be taken by schools when purchasing or installing playground equipment, such as ensuring that play structures of a certain height are placed at 2.5 metres apart, that they are painted using non-toxic paint, that metal equipment is not rusted and that wood equipment is treated so as to avoid learners being hurt by splinters.

Regular general checks should ensure that playground equipment and facilities are clean, well maintained and that equipment is secure, with no broken parts.

Simple procedures such as checking sandpits for hazardous debris, such as broken glass or sharp sticks, and pests, such as sand fleas, are equally important when ensuring the safety and well-being of our learners.

The guidelines have been sent to school principals for them and their staff and governing bodies to consider. The contents of the guidelines are to come into effect from 1 July 2014.

We are optimistic that by taking such precautionary steps we can reduce the number of incidents in our playground that are harmful to our learners. We are also optimistic that increased supervision will decrease unruly behavior in these areas during break-time and before and after school.