Question NW807 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education

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30 April 2021 - NW807

Profile picture: Nodada, Mr BB

Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(a) What number of public schools in each province (i) are currently in operation, (ii) meet the minimum norms and standards found within the SA Schools Act, Act 84 of 1996, and (iii) do not meet the minimum norms and standards and (b) of those schools that do not meet the minimum norms and standards, what are the reasons in each case?

Reply:

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/03/2021

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 08/2021

                  

Response

The information as per reports received from provinces as a sphere of government responsible for school infrastructure.

      1. Table below shows that there are 23 259 public ordinary schools currently operational,
      2. The minimum standards relate to Basic Services (Water, Electricity, Sanitation and schools built entirely of inappropriate material), as well as fencing and classroom provision. See table below:

PED

Total number public ordinary school                

Total number(%) of Schools provided with Water Supply        

Total number(%) of schools provided with Electricity supply        

Total number(%) of schools with sanitation        

Total number of Schools built of inappropriate structures

Schools using pit latrines ONLY

Total number of school without adequate Fencing

EC

5290

100%

100%

100%

*96

944

5 227

FS

1084

100%

100%

100%

*2

47

339

GP

2073

100%

100%

100%

0

0

146

KZN

5803

100%

100%

100%

0

901

198

LP

3833

100%

100%

100%

0

219

138

MP

1713

100%

100%

100%

0

1

1101

NW

1469

100%

100%

100%

0

18

0

NC

545

100%

100%

100%

0

0

88

WC

1449

100%

100%

100%

0

0

0

Total

23 259

100%

100%

100%

*98

2 111

7 237

*These schools are subjected to the process of rationalisation and realignment.

  

(b)

  • Unavailability of adequate budget;
  • Learner migration - learners move from one province to another, and also move in the same province from one district to another, which makes the classroom and sanitation backlog a moving target;
  • Rationalisation, were learner enrolment is low, or the school must be closed because it is not a viable school anymore;
  • Movement of learners from one school to another, were the schools that had sufficient infrastructure end up falling with backlog of insufficient facilities;
  • Drought were boreholes run dry, and waterborne toilets are not used anymore because of lack of water;
  • Deterioration of infrastructure, when the facilities are dilapidated that the facility can’t be used anymore; and
  • Vandalism and theft of infrastructure assets.