The Gauteng education department was still determining how many tablets were missing from its schools, MEC Panyaza Lesufi said on Wednesday.
A total of 89% of the tablets that were distributed as part of the information and communications technology programme last year had been recovered, he said at the opening of the Chief Albert Luthuli Primary School in Daveyton on the East Rand.
“Others were taken by principals and they didn’t deliver them in the same place. I’ll only know after tomorrow,” he said.
The Citizen on Wednesday quoted Lesufi as saying that of the 61 000 tablets distributed to schools, nearly 17 000 had not been returned to the department.
“I was surprised when I saw the story that tablets are missing. I don’t understand why, because schools are opening today, so some children will be returning them only today,” he said.
In July last year, Lesufi launched the department’s electronic education project. Students at township schools around Gauteng were given access to tablets, smartboards, and unlimited mobile data at their schools during certain hours. — News24