The Gauteng Department of Education has clarified media reports suggesting that the department will completely withdraw the 88 000 tablets distributed to schools as part of the e-Learning Solution Programme.

“This is incorrect,” said the department in a statement on Friday.

The Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, announced in a media briefing on Thursday that the department would retrieve these tablets from schools to install them with additional security features – such as tracking devices - and they will be returned back to schools.

“Since the distribution of the 88 000 tablets over 3 000 have been stolen. This prompted the MEC to temporarily retrive them for the installation of  additional security features,” explained the department.

Of the approximately 6 200 tablets, with tracking devices deployed to the seven schools this year, so far, 11 tablets have been stolen/ lost and five were subsequently recovered.

Six tablets have not been switched on since they went missing and as a result, have not been recovered.

The department said it was commited to implementing the paperless classroom project.

“Nothing will stop our quest or derail our efforts of giving the learners of Gauteng the best possible education in our lifetime,” the department said.