‘Lack of resources impeding fight to improve safety in schools’

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Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says the lack of resources is impeding the fight to improve safety in schools.

The province is battling with the scourge of violence at schools with gangsterism, substance abuse and bullying identified as some of the leading causes.

Chiloane has been speaking at the school safety Indaba underway in Boksburg.

The gathering will evaluate the progress of the Safe Schools Campaign, which aims to safeguard schools against criminal activities.

Chiloane says due to a lack of resources from both the police and education departments, they have identified 75 high-risk schools where safety measures such as private security will be deployed.

“Obviously, we are starting with this 75, and we will be able to determine whether the intervention that we are employing is working or not. Remember, with every intervention in a new program, there is always going to be a teething problem.”

“So, we are looking in between from time to time to see if we can, and what do we need to do to ensure that we improve. Take what is working, remove what is not working, and find ways to improve on what can potentially work. So, it’s broad now. We’ll be in schools up until we get those schools right, but more importantly, we can only leave and hand over the school to the community for it to be protected.”