DURBAN - THE Department of education says schools are dealing with sophisticated criminals who are determined to accomplish their criminal activities no matter what.
On Sunday spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi described the criminals terrorising the province’s schools as “tricky” and determined.
This after several incidents were reported to the department recently. Some took place late last year.
Mahlambi however appealed to the communities to protect schools as they were resources belonging to them.
Early last week, Windy Heights Primary school in Malagazi near Isipingo was closed after Grade R pupils witnessed their teachers being robbed at gunpoint.
The robbers allegedly jumped over the fence and entered the school.
They took cellphones and handbags belonging to the teachers.
Mahlambi recently said the school had reopened with additional security guards.
Two weeks ago, teachers and a principal at Moorton Heights Primary School in Chatsworth were held at gunpoint by two robbers who posed as parents.
They took money and ransacked the teachers’ bags.
He said incidents at schools had taught them that even with security guards on site criminals still found a way of entering the school property.
“Currently, the department does not have the money to provide for each school. In the case of the schools that provided their own security guards, criminals still gained entry from the back of the school through the fence. We all know that criminals are sophisticated, we are dealing with criminals who do not wait for night time to enter our schools or even our homes, but they enter in broad daylight. We are living in a society that does not care what happens as long as they get what they want,” said Mahlambi.
Last year, teachers at Quarry Heights Primary near Newlands East were robbed of their cellphones and cash.
Mahlambi said financial constraints had made it impossible for the department to deploy a security guard at each school.
“We have since discovered that even at schools with security guards, criminals are not afraid. We have had schools where the security guards themselves were attacked,” he said.
The Educators Union of South Africa, (EUSA) criticised the department for doing nothing proactive to address the issue for far too long.
It said as a result it was now making a strong call to the department to deploy armed police reservists to guard schools.
EUSA president Scelo Bhengu said they had suggested that the department deployed properly trained and armed police reservists, sourced from the community.
“Our schools do not have security guards, but department offices have beefed up security. This has always been the case. We do not buy the excuse that criminals enter schools despite the presence of security guards. The department should not run away from the fact that most of our schools are soft targets for criminals because they are not made to be safe places,” said Bhengu.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union and the National Teachers’ Union called for the deployment of at least one security guard at each school.
Vee Gani, chairperson of the Parents Association of KZN, said criminals look at schools as soft targets, especially schools that lack good security and this was due to the lack of funds.
Governing bodies of schools have as a result worked backwards in resourcing schools.
He said there was no quick fix solution, but schools needed a strong community which took responsibility for its schools.
Daily News