Question NW110 to the Minister of Basic Education
06 September 2019 - NW110
Ngcobo, Mr S to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)Whether, in line with the Government policy of taking services to the people, she will commit to the development of nonviable schools within the communities where they are located, rather than closing them down and incurring huge costs for transporting learners to the well-developed schools; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether she would consider developing a policy on the special post provisioning norm for this category of schools, which usually have a very low student enrolment due to their historic deeply rural background; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. Rationalisation of schools cannot be implemented in a blanket approach, but on a case by case approach. In general, non-viable schools are a disadvantage to learners as they cannot be provided with resources and sufficient number of educators, to ensure quality education at par with other schools. However, where circumstances dictate that such schools be retained in communities where they are located, such a determination will be dictated by its peculiar circumstance. As such, it will not be prudent to commit that all non-viable schools will be retained where they are located.
2. The Department continuously monitors the effectiveness of the post provisioning norms including the provisioning to small schools. Once it is decided that it is viable to maintain or establish a small school after considering both educational effectiveness and cost efficiency, the post provisioning norms assists in determining the number of posts to be provided to such a school. The current Post Provisioning Norms are under review to ensure that small schools are adequately addressed. This is being done together with stakeholders in the Education Labour Relations Council.