MEC: Fewer schools vandalised in past holiday season

THE number of burglary and incidents of vandalism at Western Cape schools over the holidays has seen another decrease, says Education MEC Debbie Schäfer.

In a statement yesterday, Schäfer said the number of incidents has declined consistently over the past three years from 41 during the 2013/14 school holidays, to 32 in 2014/15, to 21 in 2015/16, to just 17 this past holiday.

“At the start of every school year, one of my main concerns is that teachers and learners will arrive at a school that has been badly vandalised or burgled during the December school holiday,” she said.

“For this reason, during the December 2016/ January 2017 school holiday period, the WCED deployed additional security to schools that were identified as high risk.”

Most of the incidents were classified as minor, meaning the cost of repairs was below R100 000.

However, the Uitsig High School again became the target of thieves and vandals, who caused major damage to the school. “Security guards at the school were reportedly stoned and threatened with guns. As a result, water pipes and electrical cables were damaged and/or stolen, putting the school in a situation where it cannot function,” said Schäfer.

In most cases perpetrators stole copper piping and electrical cables, while in other cases cooking utensils and food were stolen from feeding scheme kitchens, she said.

“So far, the cost for repairs for 14 of the 17 schools has come in at just under R250 000. While I am pleased that the incidents were mostly classified as ‘minor’, we could better spend these funds on improving the quality of education in schools,” said Schäfer.