Damaging morale

THE Western Cape Education Department says it does all it can to protect schools in the province from burglary and vandalism. “Our Safe Schools Directorate is very active in mobilising communities to look after schools, in conjunction with the police and community-based organisations,” says Millicent Merton, the spokesperson for the department. “All it can” is obviously not enough. Every year schools in townships are being trashed – and although Western Cape authorities have been highlighting the fact that the number of cases of vandalism has dropped, we will not stop highlighting the matter until attacks on the schools of the poor have been stopped completely.

In the summer holidays in 2016, there were 21 instances of vandalism at township schools, with damage estimated at R500 000 being recorded.

Figures for 2018 have not yet been released. But we know of at least one school, Protea Primary in Bonteheuwel, where vandals stole burglar bars and taps, and damaged windows and toilets.

Nothing damages the morale of teachers and pupils more than to find their school had come under attack during the holidays.

Teachers at schools in our townships have a difficult enough job to instil a love of reading and mathematics in their charges.

How can pupils be encouraged to be ambitious when schools that are already short of some of the most basic facilities, have even these damaged?

Nelson Mandela, the father of our democracy, pointed out during his tenure as president of South Africa that “the power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation”.

“Our previous system emphasised the physical and other differences of South Africans with devastating effects.

“We are steadily but surely introducing education that enables our children to exploit their similarities and common goals, while appreciating the strength in their diversity.”

This is all very well, but until children living in Bonteheuwel, Langa, Lavender Hill, Gugulethu, Nyanga and many other townships around our province have the same chances as their compatriots in Rondebosch, Claremont or Newlands, Mandela’s dream and their ambitions will never be realised.

It is high time that the education authorities, together with the police, put more effort into keeping township schools safe.

Ways should be found to turn them into bastions of security.