Latest news with #DepartmentofBasicEducationSouthAfrica
IOL News
3 days ago
- General
- IOL News
Significant strides in school sanitation: 97% of schools now equipped
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the R5.5 billion spent in School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant has been audited since the inception of the SAFE initiative. Image: Department of Basic Education South Africa / Facebook A total of 97% of schools identified in 2018 for the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) programme have been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities as of July, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said. 'The Department of Basic Education has advised that, as of 1 July 2025, out of the total 3 372 schools identified for intervention through the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative, a total of 3,254 schools (97%) had been provided with safe and appropriate sanitation facilities,' Gwarube said. She was responding to IFP MP Siphosethu Ngcobo when he asked about the progress made in eradicating pit latrines at public schools in each province since the launch of the SAFE initiative in 2018. Gwarube's responses showed that the breakdown of schools in the Eastern Cape was 1,361, KwaZulu-Natal 1,329, Limpopo 447, Mpumalanga 103, and the Free State 14. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The minister said 73 of the remaining 118 pit toilet projects, identified under the SAFE initiative, were planned for completion in the 2025/26 financial year. 'The balance of 45 remaining pit toilet projects, identified under the SAFE initiative, were initially delayed due to funding constraints from certain donor partners. They have since been reallocated to performing implementing agents and are earmarked for completion in the current financial year.' Gwarube also said the Department of Basic Education remained committed to ensuring that all pit latrines identified through the SAFE initiative were eradicated and replaced. 'Furthermore, the Department of Basic Education remains committed to ensuring that all pit latrines not identified under the SAFE initiative are identified and replaced by provincial Education Departments as soon as possible. 'Our goal is to provide safe, age-appropriate, and dignified sanitation facilities that create an enabling learning environment where every learner can focus on their education,' she said. Gwarube added that R5.5 billion spent in the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant (SIBG) has been audited since the inception of the SAFE initiative. Her response showed that the Eastern Cape expenditure totalled R3.4 billion, KwaZulu-Natal R1.5 billion, and Limpopo R498 million. The Free State and Mpumalanga showed no expenditure on the SIGBG because they have been entirely funded by the Provincial Education Infrastructure Grant or funded through donor funding. Gwarube said the department remained resolute in its commitment to eliminating all unsafe sanitation infrastructure at public schools across the country.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Gwarube tackles urgent school infrastructure delays in South Africa
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube addresses the persistent challenges hindering improvements in South African school infrastructure. Image: Department of Basic Education South Africa / Facebook Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube attributed delays in improving school infrastructure, such as pit latrines in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, to severe weather, the construction mafia, and underperforming contractors. Gwarube was responding to a parliamentary question from the MK Party's Pinky Pearlgene Mngadi. Mngadi noted that the department's 2025 Annual Performance Plan indicates that there are over 13.5 million pupils and nearly 460,000 teachers in the public and independent schools of the Republic, the majority of which suffer from poor infrastructure, including pit latrines, particularly in provinces like KZN and the Eastern Cape. She asked Gwarube about how she justifies the continued delays in eradicating the specified unsafe conditions which put the health and safety of learners at daily risk. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In her response, Gwarube explained that of the 3,372 sanitation projects initially identified under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative as being reliant on basic pit toilets, 3,265 schools have already been provided with safe and age-appropriate sanitation facilities. 'Construction at the remaining 106 schools is currently under way and is expected to be completed within the 2025/26 financial year,' Gwarube said. She also said that while significant progress has been made through the SAFE initiative, the persistent presence of pit latrine toilets underscores the complexity of addressing public school infrastructure backlogs in a sector that has historically faced underinvestment, competing budgetary demands, and implementation challenges at the provincial level. 'The reasons for delays include inclement weather, with various parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal experiencing heavy rains, leading to flooding and rural roads being washed away, activities of the construction mafia, and instances of poor contractor performance,' Gwarube said. The minister explained that the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant (SIBG), which funds the SAFE initiative, will be phased out at the end of the 2025/26 financial year. Therefore, all remaining sanitation projects outside of the SAFE initiative are being integrated into provincial project pipelines and funded through the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG). 'While this reform improves funding alignment, it reduces the Department of Basic Education's ability to directly influence infrastructure delivery, placing greater responsibility on Provincial Education Departments (PEDs),' Gwarube said. 'In this regard, the process to review the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure has commenced, with the aim of ensuring clearer mandates, stronger oversight provisions, and more effective delivery frameworks.' Gwarube added that the department has launched the Safe Schools App, a digital platform developed and donated by Vodacom South Africa, to support efforts at the provincial level and enhance transparency. 'The app empowers users, including parents, teachers, and community members, to report unsafe toilet facilities in schools, monitor progress on their removal, and provide real-time feedback. This crowdsourced data allows PEDs and the DBE to better plan, prioritise and fund sanitation projects,' Gwarube said.
