Motshekga made the statement while presenting her annual performance plan in Parliament on Tuesday.

She said the violence in some government schools was out of control, but emphasised that school safety remained the responsibility of provincial departments.

“We don’t run schools, provinces run schools. So, if there are issues like security, those are done by provinces. And different schools in different provinces have got different needs and that’s why the strategy will be varied,” she said.

Motshekga said the department would continue to work with police to make schools safer. However, she added that government could not turn places of learning into military zones.

She said the government was looking at all possible ways to tackle school violence.

“We don’t want to militarise schools but we also want to protect teachers. So, what is the balance? Because we can’t allow guns [in schools], they are gun-free places.”

EWN