The Department of Basic Education said it was extremely concerned that 403 schools across the country have been vandalized since the COVID-19 lockdown started.
Minister, Angie Motshekga, said on Friday that the damage caused due to the torching and theft in the schools will have a negative impact on the implementation of the recovery plan once the lockdown is lifted.
She said in all the burglaries learning and teaching equipment had been stolen together with other expensive items.
Mothsekga said the most common target areas in the schools are the administration blocks for Information Communication Technology equipment and the nutrition centres for the food items.
The highest number of cases were in Mpumalanga with 73 burglaries at schools while the Eastern Cape reported 26 cases.
The Minister also welcomed the arrests of 44 suspects thus far in Gauteng including those found in possession of stolen property linked to school break-ins, while two arrests were made in KZN.
“It is really unfortunate that criminals in our communities could destroy the infrastructure of their own children,” Motshekga said.
