Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi admitted in a reply to a DA question, that ten government subsidised independent inner-city schools face major safety and security concerns.

The MEC listed the concerns in his reply as follows:

• Learners and staff are likely to be mugged in and/or outside the school premises as independent schools do not qualify for patrollers;
• Access is not controlled at these schools;
• Non-compliance with municipal by-laws;
• Lack of recreational facilities in these schools expose learners to crime and criminality; and
• Learners have easy access to drugs and are more likely to be involved in substance abuse.

Section 48 of the Schools Act empowers the MEC to determine the conditions for the registration or the withdrawal of registration, and the granting or the withdrawal of subsidies to independent schools.

It is worrying that the MEC would admit to these challenges, yet continues to use public money to fund these private institutions without placing stronger terms and conditions in place, in order to ensure learners and staff are safe.

A conducive learning environment is key to educational success, yet inner-city Johannesburg independent schools impedes this. Parents cannot guarantee that their children are in safe hands.

The DA challenges MEC Lesufi to take up this matter in conjunction with the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa and to change subsidy requirements.

If the safety of our learners in any school cannot be guaranteed or that risks cannot at least be mitigated then the MEC is failing to do his job.

 

Issued by DA