- First aid training for primary school learners is being expanded across 30 schools in Cape Town under the SA Red Cross Society’s initiative.
- This programme, started in 2022, equips young students with essential first aid skills like CPR and wound care.
- The aim is to empower children as first responders and enhance community safety through practical education.
First aid training for primary school learners is being rolled out at 30 schools across Cape Town as part of the SA Red Cross Society Western Cape’s (WC) First Aid Schools Project.
The project, an existing initiative started in 2022, provides basic first aid training in primary schools and youth-based organisations within the Western Cape.
Marianna Nomdoe from the Red Cross Society WC says young people are often first responders in emergency situations, especially in communities where younger children are vulnerable or without sufficient adult supervision.
“In 2022, the Red Cross teams visited 20 Primary Schools within the Western Cape region, training approximately 2 000 primary school learners.
To ensure personal attention, each training session teaches 10 to 15 children, with the course being split into theory, practical exams and then a very valuable certificate.
says Nomdoe.
“This means that first aid training is beneficial in so many ways and embraces the needs of children holistically.”
READ: First aid responders meet community need
Red Cross Society WC in partnership with leading first aid manufacturers ensured that more learners could be reached this year.
Different skills
Nokuthula Khumalo, brand manager for the manufacturer, said learners acquire skills needed to act effectively as first responders to their peers such as CPR, wound care, water hygiene and sanitation.
“Children are often the first responders,” explains Khumalo. “More lives could be saved, health challenges avoided, and trauma contained if those first on the scene were trained in administering wound care and basic first aid,” she adds. “This is why SA Red Cross WC First Aid Training within schools is such a fantastic initiative.
“This vital education that reaches up to 1 000 learners means more self-advocacy for children and young people, in turn helping those immediately in need within their communities,” says Khumalo. “It’s a privilege to be able to teach and upskill learners and consequently children needing first aid.”
Eager Grade 5 and 6 learners at Die Duine Primary School in Lotus River received their training on Wednesday 5 June.
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Busiswa Mvelase, a healthcare youth officer from the SA Red Cross Society, who gave the classes, said the training was aimed at empowering children to assist on the playground and in the home.
“We merged with Elastoplast to do first aid in schools, to enhance children to assist and help each other while on the playground and not under adult supervision,” she said. “Many live with elderly relatives such as aunts or grandmothers and now they will be able to assist with emergencies while waiting or calling for help.”
Learners attended training over a three-day period which consisted of topics such as strokes, CPR, burns, severe bleeding, internal bleeding, injuries and unconsciousness.
Advanced
Commenting on the learners’ enthusiasm in the class, Mvelase said children were quite advanced.
“I have to say the children are very advanced, you would think they are the facilitators during the interactive classes,” she said. “We want them to learn in a fun way such as playing games.”
Die Duine Primary School principal Anthea Adriaanse said it was an exciting opportunity for learners.
she said.
“When you empower them from such a young age, you see a different child, a child that becomes more confident and recognises that they have a purpose.”
She added that the training was beneficial to the school in terms of sport. “Those learners could administer first aid and I think that in itself would also assist teachers,” says Adriaanse.
“Outside school, there is the community and many may face incidents at home and when you have a skill and know what to do such as first aid, that is such an important skill which everyone should be trained in.”
