Africa-Press – South-Africa. Examinations at KaMhlushwa primary school in Mpumalanga had to be delayed on Monday morning as pupils and staff arrived to find the school had been burgled over the weekend and a lot of equipment stolen.
The burglars stole 51 tablets and five laptops — one of which is said to have contained the children’s marks for tests which had been captured since the beginning of the year. They also stole two external hard drives, CCTV cameras and cables, three screen projectors, the school bell system, a wi-fi router, two printers, a music system mixer and various other materials.
School principal Phumzile Themba said the thieves gained access using grinders and fled with the equipment before police arrived.
Themba said vital information was stolen, including equipment for the midyear examinations.
“As we speak now, I’m seated with the school governing body to find a solution for the examinations to continue as planned. We are using other printers which were not stolen, but they are very slow, which will delay us.
“It’s sad that some older people decide to steal something that belongs to their children, so we are asking anyone for help,” she said.
Mpumalanga education MEC Cathy Dlamini called for anyone with information to contact the police.
“This [theft] is a big concern as we regard schools as something that belongs to the community and needs its protection at all costs, as it involves the future of their children.”
Dlamini said the theft of equipment undermines the department’s efforts to ensure that schools are adequately resourced and hinders the ability of schools to effectively conduct learning and teaching.
“The department urges communities to refrain from purchasing stolen goods and to report individuals suspected of engaging in the sale of stolen items,” she said.
The school has a security guard and he is said to have rushed to the nearby KaMhlushwa police station to report the burglary, but by then the thieves had already escaped.
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