Question NW2882 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education

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11 December 2020 - NW2882

Profile picture: Mohlala, Ms MR

Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Whether she has been informed that more than 4 000 schools in the Republic are still using pit latrines; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what plans does she have in place to eliminate pit latrines in all the specified schools and (b) by what date will the pit latrines be eliminated?

Reply:

a) The SAFE programme (Sanitation Appropriate For Education) was launched to address the sanitation at 3 898 schools that reportedly were still dependent on basic pit toilets.  Of these 3898 schools, 427 have subsequently been closed (mostly due to rationalisation).  A further 725 of these schools have been assessed and the sanitation has been confirmed to be of an appropriate standard, though some of these sanitation facilities require some form of maintenance.  The remaining 2 747 schools require intervention to eradicate the dependency on basic pit toilets.  These schools are located in EC (997), FS (123), KZN (1 168), LP (298), MP (106), and NW (55).   Of these 2 747 schools, the work has progressed to practical completion at 612 schools.  There are current construction projects at a further 420 of the 2747 schools.

b) The plan is to eradicate the dependency on basic pit toilets at the identified schools by March 2022.    

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