Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile addresses the media on alarming school safety statistics, highlighting the urgent need for community involvement.
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has painted a grim picture of school safety in the province, revealing thousands of incidents linked to violence, vandalism, substance abuse and criminal activity over the past five years.
Briefing the media on school safety, Maile said Gauteng’s education system is increasingly reflecting wider societal crime patterns, warning that “the high crime levels in the province are mirrored to a large extent in our schools.”
According to departmental figures, schools across the province have recorded more than 4,600 incidents of violence and over 4,100 cases of vandalism during the period under review. In addition, nearly 400 incidents of sexual misconduct and about 1,400 search-and-seizure operations were recorded.
“These numbers are a concern as they indicate that schools are under threat,” Maile said, adding that violence, vandalism, substance-related incidents and learner misconduct remain persistent challenges affecting teaching and learning.
