Representatives from the participating schools with their certificates for participating in the research
Anticipating that recent research would be used to develop adequate policies and protective measures, the CEMS Youth Research Unit recently reported on their latest findings into the influence of drug and alcohol abuse, youth violence and cellphones on the living and learning styles of the youth in the Western Cape.
The research was conducted among 2 624 learners from Grades 8 to 12, from randomly selected secondary schools in the Cape metropolitan area. The learners completed self-administrated questionnaires.
Delegates – representing participating schools, government departments, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and academic institutions – attended the seminar at the Cape Town Regional Centre.
Several speakers from the Western Cape provided information that put the research in context. Dr Audrey Wyngaard of the Western Cape Education Department talked about the importance of research within the department, while Mr Sphiwe Mhlangu (spokesperson for MXit) discussed the usage by South African youths of the MXit platform. In her presentation, the National Executive Officer of Childline South Africa, Ms Dumisile Nala, referred to young victims of bullying and Dr Lize Weich (a senior psychiatrist and lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch) focused on possible causes and measures to prevent drug usage among the youth in the Western Cape.
The schools received certificates for their participation in the research.
* Prof De Clercq will be on Focus/Fokus on SABC2 at 18:30 on Sunday 7 October 2012 as part of a panel discussing the debt burden of South Africans which currently stands at an estimated R1,36 trillion.
**Story submitted by Ilze Crous
