Pretoria – With learning well underway during this academic year, pupils at Stanger High School in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, have been urged to make education their top priority and be part of the force that breaks social ills in their communities.
Today the Film and Publication Board (FPB) and KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education’s Ilembe District kick started the back to school campaign, which aims to spread the message of positive living by encouraging youngsters to turn their backs on destructive behaviour.
The annual campaign is targeting 1 250 learners and 300 educators and it is expected to run until Thursday.
“The outreach forms part of the department’s social ills campaign -- Be part of the change you want to see -- which encourages people to be part of the fight against drugs and substance abuse, domestic violence, alcohol, and teenage pregnancy,” the FPB said.
The FBP said the back to school campaign is usually launched on 10 February in partnership with the Department of Communications, Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Digital You, Childline SA, Google, Media Monitoring Africa, SaveTNet and UNISA Youth Research Unit.
The theme for the launch and this year’s campaign is ‘Let’s create a better internet together’ and it ties in with the theme for Safer Internet Day (SID), which is celebrated globally on 10 February 2015.
The board said 100 learners and 10 educators from schools in Gauteng came together and conducted a series of workshops and activities with the partners, including a Google Hangout where South African learners connected with learners in Senegal, Nigeria and Kenya.
The board said learners shared ways to be more responsible on the intranet and how they tackle issues of cyber safety.
“The campaign will run until 28 February 2015. Like SID, the FPB campaign also seeks to promote safer and more responsible use of online technologies and mobile phones, especially amongst children and youth.
“The outreach campaign aims to ensure that learners and educators are informed about their choices and the dangers, and risks when engaging in online activity and will include presentation on cyber safety as well as learners workshops,” said the FPB.
FPB Chief Executive Themba Wakashe said the FPB seeks to protect children from exposure to harmful materials, hence it raises awareness of the regulatory framework, through programmes and outreach activities such as the Back-2-School campaign.
“… In so doing, we ensure that learners, educators, care givers, parents and ultimately South Africans are sensitised to the risks of the cyber world, but that they are also informed about responsible digital engagement,” said Wakashe.
The FPB said it will conduct cyber safety awareness and education campaigns throughout the year to fulfil its mandate to ensure that children are protected from viewing potentially harmful, disturbing or inappropriate material.
“The FPB will to roll out with phase three of the Back-2-School campaign in the Eastern Cape in March 2015,” the board said. - SAnews.gov.za
