Cape Town – Basic Education Angie Motshekga says they are working closely with the security cluster to prevent more children being kidnapped at schools.
There has been an increase in the number of schoolchildren being abducted outside of their schools.
An 18-year-old matric learner survived abduction outside her school in Johannesburg a few weeks ago.
But a 11-year-old Grade 5 learner was kidnapped outside her school in Mayfair, Johannesburg, last month.
The four Moti brothers were kidnapped about two months ago in Polokwane on their way to school.
However, they have since been reunited with their parents after a ransom was allegedly paid amounting to R50 million.
But in a written parliamentary reply from the EFF, Motshekga said they were working with the security cluster on these cases.
The EFF had asked a question in relation to the abduction of an 8-year-old learner from school.
Motshekga said this was a worrying trend and they needed to work with law enforcement agencies to contain it.
“The abduction of learners outside the school premises is a worrisome development for the basic education sector and the school communities in general. Due to the complexity of this threat to the sector, a broader national collaboration is being marshalled by the department, with other relevant departments, especially the Security Cluster. The DBE has an existing Partnership Protocol Agreement with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to support its efforts to combat such threats to basic education and the safety of the learners,” said Motshekga.
“The department also utilises the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) to work with school communities to ensure the safety of school communities. The QLTC constantly reaches out to communities, including the traditional leaders, in promoting the participation of the parents and the broader society to make our schools safe places of teaching and learning,” she said.