Picture: The John Frylinck Secondary School soccer players/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The parents applauded the management of John Frylinck Secondary School in Huhudi Township, near Vryburg for coming up with a method in addressing socio-economic challenges amongst learners. Recently, the school organised soccer, chess and netball tournaments at Huhudi Sport-ground, where other three schools, Pule Leeuw, Bopaganang as well as Tiger Kloof Secondary School also participated.
One of the parents, Magdalene Mofokeng said, most learners are indulging in drugs and alcohol abuse. She said the use of sports will play a pivotal role in preventing them from engaging in criminal activities and usage of drugs.
“We want to applaud the management from various schools for coming up with this initiative. Our children do not want to listen to us anymore. They do as they please and indulge in various criminal activities including the usage of alcohol and drugs.
“You will be surprised to see them roaming the streets during school hours. However, I think the new joint agreement between these schools, will have a positive impact. Using a sport as a tool to prevent crime and drug use among youth has always worked wonders,” she said.
Another parent, Keitumetse Malgas shared the same sentiments. Malgas also urged all stakeholders such as North West Social Development, Health and South African Police Services (SAPS) to come on board.
“The implementation of this initiative will assist in providing life skills and build resilience among the learners. It will also increase adaptive and positive behaviour among them by addressing risk factors related to violence, crime and drug use.
“Our learners have turned schools into battlefields nowadays by carrying dangerous weapons. Teachers are now afraid of them because of their violent behaviour. If the police can do unannounced visits to schools and conduct searching, things might improve,” she said.
Meanwhile, a few months ago, the North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi adopted the John Frylinck Secondary School in a quest to bring law and order.
Motsumi said she is exultant that the school has introduced sporting activities to keep learners away from criminal activities. She further said, the John Frylinck Secondary School, obtained the first position in the top four school tournaments.
“The school won both chess and soccer competitions, while the netball team obtained the second position. Parents and school management are delighted by the positive impact that this competition brought to the school. Sports is a way to go in shaping the behaviour of learners.
“I also take this opportunity to applaud the school management and the Community Policing Forum (CPF) for the brilliant initiative. It is imperative to keep learners busy with sports as a way of removing them from the challenges experienced on the streets,” she said.
Motsumi added that, the learners’ participation in sports will teach them about tolerating each other, rather than being violent. She said, automatically, their behaviour is going to change drastically.
The Guardian 