TSHILWAVHUSIKU – In complying and promoting the aims and objectives of the government to prepare the youth for the future, the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS adopted two schools within their policing area on May 7.

The event took place at the Ravele Hall.

The two adopted schools are Litshovhu and Kutama Senior Secondery schools. The adopt-a-school programme is aimed at distancing the youth from criminal activities and for learners to assist the cops with information that can lead to the arrest of offenders at schools and in villages.

In order for the programme to be successful, each school is expected to elect a crime prevention committee. While addressing the parents, learners, teachers and community stakeholders, the MEC for Safety and Security, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi, said that if there is escalating crime rate, the standard of education will go down.

"If you don't bring the textbook back to the school, you will be depriving other learners, the school will never develop and the police call that crime. If the girl says no to sex, don't force her because you will be charged for rape and if you touch somebody's private parts, you will also be liable for sexual harassment," she said.

Magadzi appealed to learners to develop a method of impipi (spying) for the police, as that is the only way of reducing acts of criminality. "We become worried when we hear that during break times, you either go on a drinking spree or take some drugs. We become terribly disappointed when we hear that you come to school under the influence of one of these things. I fail to understand why a learner should bring a screwdriver to school. There is nothing to fix; a screwdriver is not a learning tool," she said.

The MEC told learners that no brain would function properly if it is already saturated with alcohol or drugs. She further warns them that selling drugs at schools is a criminal offence. "It does not matter who you are, or where you do it; you will be arrested. We will make no exception because tomorrow you will hurt or kill an educator," said Magadzi.

The adopt-a-school project was launched in 2002 in Levubu as an initiative of Captain Mutepe and at the same time "Operation Pimpa" was also launched. Magadzi said that since the programme was established, the crime rate has deteriorated at schools and villages.