Acts Online
GT Shield

South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No. 84 of 1996)

Regulations

Regulations for Safety Measures at Public Schools

8A. School activities

 

(1) A public school must ensure that—
(a) it completes the application form contemplated in Schedule 1 to the Regulations in duplicate if the school activity involves transporting of learners;
(b) the application is approved by an official representing the provincial education department before such school activity is undertaken; and
(c) a copy of the approved application form is handed to the school and the original is kept by the official representing the provincial education department.

 

(2) A public school must take measures to ensure the safety of learners during any school activity, including—
(a) insuring against accidents, injuries, general medical expenses, hospitalisation and theft that may occur, depending on the availability of funds;
(b) ensuring, where reasonably practicable, that learners are under the supervision of an accompanying educator at all times;
(c) requesting parents or other adults to assist in the supervision of learners;
(d) ensuring that the educator-learner ratio is at least—
(i) one educator, parent or other adult for every 20 learners in primary schools; or
(ii) one educator, parent or other adult for every 30 learners in secondary schools; and
(e) ensuring that, in respect of the adult-learner ratio, gender is taken into account.

 

(3) An insurer of a school as contemplated in regulation 8A(2)(a) may not rely on section 60 of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 to avoid liability in terms of the Insurance Policy.

 

(4) If an insurer is liable in the event of injury suffered by a learner, the school must assist the parent in claiming from the insurer on behalf of the learner.

 

(5) If the Road Accident Fund is liable in the event of injury suffered by a learner, the school must assist the parent in claiming from the Fund on behalf of the learner.

 

(6) A public school must assist a parent in any claim made in terms of section 60 of the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996.

 

(7) A public school must take measures to ensure that—
(a) if a learner is on medication and will require medication during the course of school activities, the parent has seen to it that the learner has sufficient quantities of the medication for the duration of the school activities;
(b) if it is necessary for a learner to carry a doctor’s prescription for medication, the parent has provided the learner and the supervising educator with certified copies of such prescription;
(c) a parent is advised to report to the school, in writing, the medical condition of a learner;
(d) before a school activity, the principal provides a supervising educator with a report on the medical condition of a learner; and
(e) a parent is informed about any travelling to or through a high-risk disease area during the course of the school activity.

 

(8) A public school must take measures to ensure that, if a learner is injured or falls ill during the course of a school activity and requires medical treatment, the supervising educator—
(a) takes measures to contact the parent of the learner concerned in order to obtain consent for such medical treatment; and
(b) determines whether or not to consent to such medical treatment if he or she is unable to contact the parent of the learner.