The Department of Education blames the high crime rate for there being fewer computers in South African public schools today as compared to a decade ago.
National Department of Education (DOE) spokesman Lunga Ngqengelele says the DOE is "very worried" because "as soon as computers are placed in schools, within days they are wiped".
Ngqengelele explains "wiped" refers to either vandalism or computers being stolen, and says "the problem of crime is a serious one".
A DOE national infrastructure report released yesterday indicates connectivity at schools across the country only rose by 0.9% since 2000 and is down by 0.7% from levels seen in 1996.
Nearly 70% of all school children in public schools currently have no access to computers for teaching or learning.
According to the DOE's findings, 74% of public schools have excellent or good infrastructure, but only 32.07% of all schools have computer access.
Of this group, the majority has more than a 100 learners using each computer, with only 13% of all the schools having a hundred or less learners per computer.
Gauteng has the highest connectivity rates, with only 33% of its schools not having access to computers.
KwaZulu-Natal has the largest number of computers at 2 685, but more than 50% of its schools do not have computers for pupils.
Ngqengelele says "our intention is that every school should have a working library" by 2014, explaining that libraries and connectivity are linked in the eyes of the DOE.
The findings show nearly 80% of public schools do not have space for libraries, a figure that is 2.83% down from 1996 levels.
According to Ngqengelele, the DOE has embarked on a "programme of quality improvement and developmental support and an upliftment programme" to address poor infrastructure conditions at a number of poor schools.
He says minister of education Naledi Pandor has also indicated that she intends visiting at least 10 of the most affected schools, together with her nine provincial ministers, to check on the progress.
"The computers are coming, both from the department and even the private sector; the serious problem is crime," concludes Ngqengelele.
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