Cell C has officially launched its Cyber Safety Pilot 2 programme in partnership with Active Education Foundation. The launch took place in front of both learners and the media at Amberfields College in Rooihuskraal North, Centurion.
The programme aims to educate learners about responsible and safe mobile usage, cyber safety and cyberbullying. It also encourages responsible use of social media platforms, and illustrates the dangers and pain associated with cyberbullying.
Active Education has a partnership in place with the Department of Basic Education and has been piloting a Cyber Safety program for the Department of Basic Education. As part of this program, Active Education has visited over 50 schools in South Africa and has seen over 50 schools in Dubai, with the aim of educating young learners about cyber safety and the reality of cyber threats/cyberattacks, cybercrime and cyberbullying.
Due to the program’s success, the Department of Basic Education has adopted the program as the preferred solution and has approached Active Education to launch, implement and monitor the program in all schools across South Africa.
“Cyberbullying can – and often does – have a terrible impact on those affected, with victims becoming withdrawn, depressed, angry and frightened,” says Juliet Mhango, Cell C’s Human Capital and Transformation Officer.
“Cell C is proud to partner with Active Education to in this initiative, which we hope will educate parents, teachers and children about how to stay safe online, whatever device they use.”
“After the success and learnings of Cyber Safety Pilot 1 during 2018/19 our partnership with Cell C has grown from strength to strength. This initiative shows the consequences of Cyber Bullying and how to identify and assist when Cyber Bullying is occurring, thus changing lives, says Active Education’s Bruce Smuts.
“Through Cell C’s support of Active Education and the DBE we will reach over 40 000 learners with this positive initiative,” says Smuts.
Active Education will implement the program, named Cell C Cyber Safety, in the form of industrial theatre at High Schools which will incorporate Learner and Parent/Educator workshops. They will also train an activation team that will target 20 schools in Kwa-Zulu Natal, 10 schools in Limpopo and 25 schools in Western Cape during the period of July 2019 until March 2020.
