THE Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has set aside R11.7 million to try and protect schools against vandals and robbers during the December holidays.
With schools set to close soon, stakeholders in the schooling sector have called on the WCED to ensure that measures are in place to protect schools against break-ins and the vandalism the incidents come with.
Last year December, 34 schools recorded 41 incidents of burglaries and vandalism.
The department’s spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said R6.3m was spent on repairs and other costs related to the incidents, of which R1.1m was from the December/January period alone.
Hammond told Weekend Argus that the WCED had arranged for 439 schools to receive funding for holiday security, with the budgeted R11m being distributed to eight district. The districts will distribute the funds to schools for additional security. The province has over 1 400 public schools.
“The WCED appeals to all communities to be the ears and eyes of the school by reporting unusual activity around school buildings. We have had cases in the past whereby the community has reported unusual activity in the night, which has resulted in perpetrators being caught in the act.
“Communities are also encouraged to report stolen goods – this can also lead to arrests. Schools are to test alarm systems to ensure that they are in working order and that it is connected to the control room of their armed response company.”
Hammond pleaded with residents to help protect schools, adding that any theft or damage had a negative impact on learners.
Researcher at Equal Education Stacey Jacobs said reports from last year’s holiday season showed that IT equipment, electrical cables and fixtures, fencing, water pipes, and stationery were among the items stolen.
“All schools are required to have appropriate perimeter security in the form of fencing that is at least 1.8 metres high at every school site. The buildings must have at least one other form of safety and security measure, such as burglar proofing; a security guard; or an alarm system linked to a rapid armed response,” said Jacobs.
“Equal Education (EE) has observed that while some schools in the province meet these requirements to some extent, the condition of security infrastructure like fences varies across schools.
“For instance, due to repeated burglaries that damage infrastructure like fences and alarm systems, and financial constraints that impact maintenance of damaged property, some schools do not technically meet the basic safety measures in the law. Improving physical school infrastructure is, therefore, the first step in preventing vandalism and break-ins.”
The ANC spokesperson for education, Khalid Sayed, said criminals targeted schools during the holidays all year-round.
“We have been saying to the WCED it must foster relations with school communities so as to build trust and for community members to feel a sense of ownership of schools and protect them from vandalism,” he said.
“My appeal to community members is to not buy stolen goods, especially those from schools, and they must report anyone found in possession of school property.”
Founder and coordinator of Parents for Equal Education SA, Vanessa Le Roux, said the department was aware of hotspot areas as well as what needed to be done to safeguard the province’s schools.
“We must start asking what is the budget to keep our children safe, who are the service providers, and why are we paying people that can't do the job,” Le Roux said.