Question NW2511 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
06 November 2020 - NW2511
Sonti, Ms NP to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether her department intends to build a primary school in Ward 5, Phokwane Local Municipality, in the Northern Cape; if not, how are the learners who reside in the specified ward expected to learn when there is no school available; if so, what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
Response from the Northern Cape Department of Education:
Ward 5, Phokwane Local Municipality is located in Hartswater Area, within this area there is a Primary School named CW KiesIntermediêreSkool. This school is classified as a Level 3 Primary School and accommodates learners from Grade R to Grade 8. Over the last 3 years the learner enrolment at this school that caters for Primary School learners were 752 (2018), 730 (2019) and 744 (2020) which on average indicates a decline in learners. This is also the case over a 5 year period. There is a total of 22 ordinary classrooms at the school and 1 single ECD Classroom, however according to the Norms and Standards there is only 18 ordinary classrooms required and 3 ECD Classrooms. The Department on the Infrastructure Plan have prioritized an additional Double ECD Classroom for this school, this is however still in outer years due to budget availability. The school within this academic year as well as the prior year’s however does not experience overcrowding.
The estimate population of Ward 5, Phokwane Local Municipality is 8 245, of the total population, about 14% is of primary school-going age; the existing primary school can serve up to 910 learners with the current infrastructure, however there are for this academic year only 744 learners.
Within the Infrastructure Plans there is a new English Medium Primary and Secondary School planned for Hartswater, however sites for these schools have not yet been acquired. According to the future planning as stated in the Spatial Development Framework of the Phokwane Local Municipality the open areas within Ward 5 are earmarked for upgrading of public space as well as settlement upgrades therefore there is no new settlements planned in this ward that will have an immediate effect on the population size. Within the Integrated Development Plan Review 2019/20 and Planning for 2020/21 the community members if ward 5 mentioned various priorities, the construction of a new primary school however was not one of the mentioned priorities.
The current school infrastructure caters for learners within the vicinity and therefore there are no plans for a new school for this specific area.