Schools across Gauteng are facing an escalating safety crisis, with staggering new figures revealing thousands of incidents of violence and crime over the past five years.Official statistics released by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) show that schools in the province recorded 4 600 violent incidents and more than 4 100 cases of vandalism during this period.

The data also reveals nearly 400 cases of sexual misconduct and close to 1 400 search-and-seizure operations, highlighting the severe toll crime is taking on the education sector.Department officials stated that the alarming numbers reflect deep-seated safety challenges tied directly to high crime rates in local communities, where gang violence, drug abuse, theft, and vandalism remain rife.

Lebogang Maile, the MEC for Education, Sport, Art, Culture and Recreation, revealed that Gauteng recorded 118 311 crimes this year, which accounted for a quarter of all reported crime nationally. He noted that research from the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention confirms a strong link between community crime and violence inside school grounds.

“These numbers are a concern as they indicate that schools are under threat,” Maile said.

A detailed scan conducted by the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance evaluated more than 1 300 institutions and identified 245 as high-risk schools requiring urgent, targeted help. The report listed gang violence, bullying, substance abuse, theft, vandalism, sexual harassment, and criminal activity near school grounds as the main threats to pupils and staff.

To combat the issue, the department initially placed private security guards at 75 high-risk schools before expanding the project to 121 institutions. However, the initiative was ultimately scrapped due to a shortage of funding.

Instead, education authorities are shifting focus toward a broader strategy built on partnerships with the SAPS, school governing bodies, parents, and local communities. As part of these measures, CCTV cameras have been installed at 606 schools. At the same time, initiatives such as the Vodacom School Safety Project are being rolled out at selected sites to boost surveillance and catch incidents early.

Maile also stressed the importance of psychosocial support to help secure schools, calling directly on parents and residents to take an active role in safeguarding local classrooms.

“The safety of learners and educators is not negotiable,” the department said, adding that protecting schools, learners and communities is a shared responsibility,” MEC Maile said.

The department said school safety cannot be achieved through government intervention alone.