Vandalism at schools

should summon Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga to explain why so many schools are vandalised in the country, and what action will be taken to ensure that acts of vandalism and theft of school property do not occur in the future.

The recent vandalisation of more than 30 schools in the Western Cape is cause for great concern. The Western Cape department of education claims that the schools were vandalised during school holidays, and that it will cost a half-a-million rand of taxpayers’ money to fix the affected schools.

The key question are: where were the security personnel when the schools were vandalised, and what measures are going to be put in place to ensure that such acts do not occur again? We cannot afford to go on like this. There is a general feeling that most schools do not employ highly capable security guards who are readily available to protect learners, teachers, support staff and school property.

In certain instances you find that elderly women who cannot manage to open a school gate with ease are employed as security guards at schools.

This is a deliberate act which is putting everyone’s lives at risk, especially those of the learners.

We should all be concerned that if something drastic is not done to address safety at schools, more acts of theft and vandalism will take place, even during the upcoming school holidays, and particularly during the December holidays.

Vandalism takes away money that could be used for other services.

As a measure to mitigate against theft from schools and acts of vandalism, the government should seriously consider getting rid of individuals who have no capacity to provide safety for learners and teachers, and protect property in schools across the country.

At the same time, we should also note that some of these acts of vandalism are committed by learners themselves during teaching days.

The school governing bodies should put in place the necessary policies to ensure that learners who vandalise school property are held liable for costs in one way or the other.

We cannot continue on a downward slope as is the case currently.

School properties should be protected at all times.