Feeding scheme kitchens were plundered and toilets stripped by thieves who targeted schools over the 2016 winter holidays in the Western Cape.

Provincial education MEC Debbie Schafer said on Wednesday there had been an increase in burglary and vandalism despite improved security at schools.

Twenty one schools reported incidents compared to the 18 over the same period in 2015. In most cases ablution blocks were targeted and copper piping‚ taps and cistern flush mechanisms stolen.

 But‚ said Schaffer: “Once again feeding scheme kitchens were targeted with cooking apparatus and food being stolen’’.

 Schaffer’s spokesman‚ Jessica Shelver‚ said maize‚ samp‚ beans‚ sugar rice and tinned pilchards were among the items nabbed from kitchens.

“It is a sad reality that many children in South Africa arrive at school daily with an empty stomach. You can’t teach a hungry child‚’’ said Shelver.

“We recently added breakfast so that the children receive two meals a day‚ including lunch.’’

It is the only province where children are served two meals at school. Shelver said they feed 474 472 pupils — an increase of 4751 pupils since 2015.

“There are five different menus for each day of the week. The menus typically include rice‚ samp‚ soya mince‚ a protein‚ fruit‚ vegetables‚ bread‚ jam‚ peanut butter and cereals‚’’ she said.

The Cape Winelands District again reported the highest number of incidents of burglary and vandalism in the

province.

 One school in the Metro Central district was targeted on three separate occasions despite having 24-hour security. In the same district a class was torched and its desks‚ chairs‚ books as well as e-learning equipment were

destroyed.

 Schaffer said he department was completing a cost analysis‚ but so far the cost for repairs for just over half of the schools had come in at around R500 000. “The department and schools could better spend these funds on improving the quality of education in schools. At the end of the day‚ vandalism represents theft from our learners.”