Question NW252 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
02 March 2022 - NW252
Tito, Ms LF to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What (a) is the current total number of schools that still have pit toilets in the Republic and (b) action is currently being taken to totally eradicate them?
Reply:
(a) At the inception of Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative, Provincial Departments of Education identified schools dependent on basic pit toilets.
- A total of 3898 schools were identified at the time.
- Subsequent to that, some schools were closed as part of rationalisation and the sanitation at some schools were addressed under other programmes.
- At present, there are 2814 schoosl on the SAFE programme.
- Of these 2814 schools, the upgrading of sanitation has been completed at 1564 schools.
- The balance of the schools are scheduled for completion by the end of 2022/23..
(b)The Department of Basic Education is currently engaging with Provinces to establish whether such Provinces became aware of additional schools dependent on basic pit toilets. Early indications are that there are some additional schools in Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.