There is no question that the Eastern Cape education department’s intention to designate all schools as alcohol-free zones is rooted in a desire to protect pupils. In a country grappling with huge socioeconomic challenges as a result of alcohol abuse, the idea of keeping liquor off school premises is a well-meaning step towards creating safer, more focused learning environments.
But with the blanket ban on booze by the Eastern Cape education department, even at private and after-hours fundraising events, there is a major risk of schools losing a steady supplementary income.
For many, especially in the smaller towns, these spaces serve as affordable venues for weddings, festivals and community celebrations.
Take Kirkwood High School in Nqweba, for instance. The SPAR Kirkwood Wildsfees, an annual cultural and music festival hosted on the school’s sports fields for the last 22 years, has generated more than R700,000 for the school.
Add to that another R500,000 raised through other after-hours events, and it is clear how crucial these gatherings are to the school’s ability to hire extra teaching staff and maintain building and grounds.
And yet, with the department’s new ban in effect, all of it is now off the table.
It is a big blow to the school, especially when the department expects schools to subsidise fees for financially disadvantaged pupils and cover staffing shortfalls by hiring teachers from their own coffers.
The South African Schools Act does allow governing bodies to use school facilities for business activities to supplement income.
An argument can be made to allow for carefully controlled, after-hours events where alcohol is permitted under strict conditions — especially when these events are completely removed from the daily school environment and take place during holidays or weekends.
By denying schools the right to regulate these events themselves, it may inadvertently encourage a black market of “boot-drinking”, as one principal put it.
No-one is arguing that alcohol should flow freely at schools — far from it.
But common sense and community input should prevail. A one-size-fits-all ban ignores the nuanced realities of school governance and community life.
Is there perhaps room for a middle ground? We believe there should be a framework that protects pupils during school hours while still allowing schools to benefit from responsibly managed events after hours.
The Herald
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