Gauteng schools are facing growing pressure from crime, violence, bullying, substance abuse, vandalism and learner mental health challenges, but the Gauteng Department of Education says it is strengthening interventions that combine security, psychosocial support, technology and community involvement.
In a media statement issued on 14 June 2026, the Department described school safety as “a critical pillar of educational success”, saying learners cannot learn effectively in environments marked by fear, intimidation or violence, while educators cannot teach optimally in unsafe conditions.
“Safe schools are therefore not only a security imperative, but an educational imperative,” the Department said.
The statement follows ongoing concerns raised by parents, educators, School Governing Bodies, community leaders and faith-based organisations through the Department’s Thuto Pele – It Takes a Village to Raise a Child community engagement programme.
According to the Department, communities have consistently raised concerns about bullying, learner-on-learner violence, substance abuse, vandalism, criminal activity around schools, damaged fencing, poor lighting, burglaries and the safety of learners travelling to and from school.
“These concerns are consistent with the findings of the Department’s environmental scan on crime and violence in schools,” the Department said, adding that gang-related violence, bullying, substance abuse, theft, vandalism, sexual harassment and criminal activity around schools were among the key safety challenges identified across the province.
More than 1,300 schools profiled
The Gauteng Department of Education commissioned an environmental analysis of crime and violence in schools, conducted by the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance. The study profiled more than 1,300 schools and identified 245 high-risk schools requiring targeted support.
The Department said the research showed that school safety challenges are often linked to broader community conditions, including gang activity, access to drugs and alcohol around schools, theft, vandalism and violence in surrounding areas.
The findings reinforced the Department’s view that school safety cannot be solved through policing or private security alone.
“The study therefore reinforced the Department’s position that school safety must be addressed through a combination of prevention, support, enforcement and community participation,” the statement said.
A solutions approach: security, support and prevention
As part of its current response, the Department said private security services were initially deployed to 75 schools and later expanded to 121 schools identified as requiring additional protection.
The Department has also installed CCTV systems at 606 schools across Gauteng, while 422 schools benefit from private security support. Other interventions include partnerships with the South African Police Service, safety awareness campaigns, safety education programmes and specialised support services.
The Department also highlighted technology-enabled interventions, including the Vodacom School Safety Project, which supports schools through surveillance systems and monitoring technologies.
However, the Department emphasised that lasting safety requires more than cameras, guards and fences.
“Sustainable solutions require a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of violence, anti-social behaviour and criminal activity affecting learners and school communities,” the Department said.
Mental health and learner support form part of the response
The Department’s approach also includes learner wellbeing and psychosocial support, particularly as schools report increased challenges involving trauma, abuse, bullying, substance abuse, behavioural difficulties and mental health concerns.
Through its partnership with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, school-based mental health awareness and suicide prevention interventions reached more than 11,000 learners and over 150 educators during April 2026 alone.
These sessions focused on depression, anxiety, suicide prevention, help-seeking behaviour and emotional wellbeing.
The Teddy Bear Foundation also supported more than 100 schools during April 2026, providing direct interventions to learners affected by trauma, abuse, behavioural challenges and psychosocial difficulties.
Additional support is provided through Childline Gauteng and the Isibindi Ezikoleni Programme, which offers counselling, child protection interventions, psychosocial support and early identification of vulnerable learners.
The Isibindi Ezikoleni Programme currently operates in 30 schools through Child and Youth Care Workers. According to the Department, more than 35,000 learners have benefited from awareness programmes and targeted interventions, while hundreds of high-risk learners continue to receive ongoing support.
The Department said this evidence shows that school safety must include emotional and social support, not only physical security.
“Effective school safety interventions must also address learner wellbeing, mental health, psychosocial support, family circumstances and broader community conditions that influence learner development,” the statement said.
Protecting schools as community assets
The Department also raised concern about vandalism, theft and criminal activity targeting school infrastructure.
It said incidents such as damaged fencing, break-ins, theft of equipment, vandalised classrooms and destroyed infrastructure place pressure on both schools and the education budget.
“Schools are public assets that serve entire communities,” the Department said.
When schools are vandalised or burglarised, teaching and learning time is lost, scarce resources are redirected to repairs and learners are deprived of safe and quality learning environments.
The Department called on communities to regard schools as shared assets requiring protection and collective ownership.
Strategy review underway
The Gauteng Department of Education said it has begun reviewing its School Safety Strategy, a process that started in 2024 and is expected to be finalised during 2026.
The revised strategy is expected to place stronger emphasis on prevention, early intervention, stakeholder coordination and technology-enabled solutions.
The Department said the long-term aim is to move away from purely reactive responses and towards a preventative model that combines safety systems, community ownership, learner support, stakeholder partnerships and evidence-based planning.
“The future approach to school safety will therefore focus on creating learning environments that are not only physically secure, but also emotionally supportive and conducive to teaching and learning,” the Department said.
Parents and communities urged to act
A key message in the Department’s statement is that school safety cannot be achieved by government alone.
Parents, School Governing Bodies, community leaders, faith-based organisations, civil society, law enforcement, municipalities, social workers, psychologists and the private sector are all being called on to help protect learners and schools.
The Department said parents remain the primary influence in children’s lives and play a major role in shaping the discipline, values, attitudes and behaviour learners bring into the classroom.
“Parental involvement remains one of the most important interventions in promoting positive learner behaviour and preventing violence, bullying and substance abuse,” the Department said.
The Department also linked its call to the principles of Thuto Pele – It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, which recognises that learner development and educational success are shared societal responsibilities.
Shared responsibility
The Gauteng Department of Education said it remains committed to strengthening school safety interventions, expanding partnerships, investing in learner wellbeing and implementing evidence-based programmes.
It also said the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act reinforces the responsibility of the education system to protect the dignity, wellbeing, safety and best interests of every learner.
“The safety of learners and educators is not negotiable,” the Department said.
The message to communities was clear: protecting learners, protecting schools and building safer communities must be shared responsibilities.
“Protecting schools means protecting the future of our children,” the Department said. “Protecting our children means protecting the future of Gauteng.”
