Equal Education slams Gwarube over claim that 90% of schools now in a better condition
Basic education minister, Siviwe Gwarube. (Lefty Shivambu/Gallo)
Civil society movement Equal Education accused Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube of failing to understand the reality of public schools after she said last week that 90% of them are now in a better condition, according to her department's latest infrastructure assessments.
Gwarube's comments were not true, with some classrooms not having been renovated since 2008, said Equal Education's spokesperson, Ayanda Sishi Wigzell.
'I think the minister needs to visit more schools across the country. The infrastructure many children are exposed to is not safe at all.'
Gwarube told parliament that all mud and asbestos schools have been eradicated, marking what she called a 'major milestone in creating safer learning environments'.
But the minister said there was still an infrastructure backlog requiring about R129 billion, for the eradication of unsafe pit latrines, the replacement of dilapidated structures and provision of essential services such as water and electricity.
'Over 8 222 schools still require additional classrooms, and meeting that need would cost approximately R32 billion. While we're working closely with the provinces to find solutions, this remains a critical area of focus,' said Gwarube.
South Africa's public education system comprises 22 529 schools, according to the department of basic education. Recent data showed that the condition of 390 schools was categorised as 'very poor', 1 850 were identified as 'poor' and 53% of all schools were marked as 'good'.
The Eastern Cape has the highest number of schools in the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories, totalling 1 090. In contrast, the Western Cape stands out with no schools in these categories. The province has the highest percentage of schools in 'good' and 'excellent' condition.
Gwarube said 35 585 schools still required additional toilets to accommodate rising enrolment numbers, which would cost an estimated R14 billion.
According to the department, 93% of the 3 372 identified pit latrines at schools have been replaced with appropriate sanitation facilities.
The Sanitation Appropriate for Education initiative, introduced in 2018, targeted the elimination of unsafe pit toilets, but delays in its implementation have resulted in the death of children, the most recent being three-year-old Unecebo Mboteni, who fell into one such pit at a daycare centre in the Eastern Cape in 2023.
Equal Education, which has been advocating for the
'Pit latrines in schools do not inherently equal education; in fact, they pose significant barriers to a quality and equitable learning environment. The presence of pit latrines, particularly plain pit latrines, creates numerous problems that negatively impact student well-being and educational outcomes,' Wigzell said.
In May last year, new regulations were gazetted which stipulated that schools lacking basic services such as water, electricity, or sanitation must comply within 18 months. Schools constructed with unsuitable materials were given a 12-month compliance window.
'We cannot have learners in danger of drowning in pit toilets or learning in inappropriate structures, 30 years into our democracy,' Gwarube said.
According to a response by the minister to questions in parliament last November, 405 schools in the Eastern Cape were still using pit latrines, 170 in KwaZulu-Natal, 40 in Mpumalanga and 37 in Limpopo.
The department launched an app in partnership with Vodacom, which allows users to report unsafe toilets in schools, monitor progress on their removal and provide real-time feedback on infrastructure improvements.
'Far too many learners still face daily risks to their health and safety because of inadequate school infrastructure,' Gwarube conceded.
According to the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa, provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape face significant hurdles because of high infrastructure needs and budgetary constraints.
'These provinces host some of the most rural and under-resourced communities in the country, where schools often lack basic infrastructure like safe sanitation, reliable electricity, and adequate classroom space,' said the organisation's spokesperson, Basil Manuel.
Parliament's portfolio committee on basic education said in February that 80% of the KwaZulu-Natal department of education's budget had been allocated to
The department has introduced a 10-point strategy aimed at enhancing infrastructure planning, delivery, maintenance and monitoring at the provincial level.
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