Communities urged to help ensure school safety

The Department of Basic Education has urged communities to reclaim school property and assist law enforcement to crack down on rampant crime and vandalism.

At a Critical Thinking Forum in Johannesburg, DBE Chief Director, Seliki Thlabane, said that criminals stealing from schools have undermined efforts to provide quality education.

He also appealed with communities to stop protecting the law breakers.

Thlabane’s remarks follow escalating shooting and robbery incidents in local schools.

In KwaZulu-Natal, three separate shooting, robbery and stabbing incidents rocked pupils and teachers in recent days.

On Monday, Grade R teacher Dudu Khumalo was fatally gunned down after being shot five times, just as classes were about to begin.

A 21-year-old matric pupil from Isihlahla Senkosi High School in Nongoma was fatally stabbed that same day after
he allegedly attacked other pupils.

On Tuesday, bandits stormed Mukelani Primary School in KwaMashu and robbed teachers of their personal belongings, demanding they empty their bank accounts.

Thlabane has called for harsher punishment for those who steal and cause unrest at schools, saying they should be considered enemies of the state.

He’s also urged communities not to buy from the crooks who are profiting off stolen government property.

“We must come to a point where there’s no market for these stolen goods. Then when they steal them, they have nowhere to deliver them,” Thlabane added.

Speaking with YNews, the National Association of School Governing Bodies echoed similar sentiments – calling on communities to rise up and protect their schools from criminals.

Matakanye Matakanye from the body says the only reason criminals have become so brazen and steal from schools is because they see them as an easy target.

“Schools belong to the community. So stand up and protect those things,” he told YNews.

The KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Sipho Hlomuka, has since announced a school safety conference that will take place soon.

Following criticism over the department’s decision to prioritise the rollout of coding and robotics in primary schools over school safety and the improvement of school infrastructure, including the eradication of pit latrines, Thlabane said it’s a delicate balancing act.

This year the department announced the inclusion of coding and robotics in the official school curriculum for Grade R-9 learners, which is aimed at enhancing digital literacy and critical thinking.

He highlighted the department’s dilemma when it came to allocating funds for particular initiatives.

While Thlabane acknowledged the importance of protecting lives, he further emphasised the importance of preparing children for the future workforce.

He reassured South Africnas that technological advancement is not prioritised over human life, but rather aims to equip learners with valuable skills. Written by Naomi Kobbie