Cape Town - More than 30 schools in the province have applied this year for authorisation to sell alcohol at school events.
While many organisations and teacher unions were opposed to the sale of alcohol at schools when changes to the Western Cape School Education Amendment Bill were proposed a few years ago, it is now officially allowed.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said: “The Western Cape Provincial School Education Act, 1997 (Act 12 of 1997) includes provisions to allow schools to engage in fund-raising events where alcohol is served, but in a safe, controlled manner. (The provisions do not allow sale of alcohol to minors, or allow them to consume alcohol, or any similar false claims.) It is worth noting that the national government has put forward similar provisions in its Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.”
He confirmed that 33 schools had submitted applications this year to date, of which 29 had been approved, and four were being processed.
There were guidelines, Maynier said, issued by the head of the department, which was meant to ensure that no pupils were present while alcohol was being sold at school.
“These guidelines are designed to provide procedures to be followed by the governing body or the principal of a public school when applying to the head of department for authorisation to permit the consumption or sale of alcoholic liquor on school premises,” said Maynier.
Furthermore, any school staff member may not be forced to participate in the function “if the latter is unwilling to participate due to religious, cultural or other reasons”.
The ANC Western Cape said it was opposed to alcohol sale at schools. “Our schools should remain alcohol-free zones. This is one argument we advanced when the Western Cape Education Department pushed the amendments to sell alcohol in schools.
This is the same argument we are making in the Bela Bill,” said Khalid Sayed, the ANC’s spokesperson on education in the Western Cape Legislature.
“Exposing learners to liquor will have serious ramifications. We already have serious alcohol and substance use disorders in the province and country.”
Cape Times