Edu needs R20 billion to improve schools

The Department of Education will need at least R20 billion if it is to improve infrastructure at schools across the province and, among others, rid the system of pit toilets such as the one that claimed the life of then Grade R learner at Mahlodumela Primary School, Michael Komape in 2014.
Department Head Beauty Mutheiwane revealed the figure when she received a memorandum of grievances from Equal Education Limpopo last Wednesday. She said they were in talks with the private sector to fund the department because the budget allocated to the department was not enough to deal with infrastructure backlog in schools.

Mutheiwane stated that the department gets a budget amounting to R800 million annually hence it is somewhat impossible to save R20 billion which is needed to build better schools in Limpopo. She added that they were supposed to have dealt with the sanitation backlog by November last year but they missed the deadline due to a lack of finances.
About 200 learners from schools in Ga-Mashashane who are members of Equal Education painted the city grey as they marched to the Department of Education to hand over the memorandum. Luyolo Mazwembe, Equal Education National Organiser said by 29 November 2016 there were supposed to be no school built using inappropriate materials and without access to water, sanitation and electricity as per a pronouncement by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshega.
“That deadline has passed. Today it is illegal in South Africa for learners to attend schools built from wood, zinc, asbestos or mud. It is also illegal for learners to attend schools with no access to water, sanitation or electricity. In July we visited 18 schools in the Mashashane area to expose the inconsistency between what is reported by the Department of Basic Education and Department of Education in Limpopo, and what we experience in reality. During the visits we interviewed school staff and conducted a survey of the school’s observable conditions,” he said.
Mazwembe further explained that they collected data on learner to classroom ratios, water and electricity supply, condition and functionality of toilets and the materials out of which the schools are constructed. Out of the 18 schools visited, four have no functioning toilets, ten have no usable toilets and eleven have only plain pit latrines which do not constitute access to sanitation in terms of the school infrastructure law, he stated.
Equal Education demands clean and reliable water supply to the 18 schools in Ga-Mashashane, with priority given to the four schools that have no water supply being Matshelana Primary School, Rantshu Primary School, Jupiter Pre-school and the two merged schools, Milente Secondary School and Botsikane Secondary School.
They demand safe and dignified sanitation for the 18 schools with priority given to the 11 schools that have plain pit latrines and an explanation in writing as to how water supply and sanitation facilities will be effectively planned and budget for, how new projects will be implemented and how all new and existing facilities will be maintained at all schools in Limpopo.
The department was given until 8 Janua­ry to respond to the memorandum and Muthei­wane stated that they would study the document and respond on the said date. A pit toilet structure was placed at the gate of the department and one learner, Gift Mogale pretended to answer a call of nature in the same dilapidated toilet.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za