Question NW3672 to the Minister of Basic Education
27 November 2023 - NW3672
Van Zyl, Ms A M to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) Whether her department has undertaken an assessment to determine the total number of learners who require to make use of the learner transport services offered by her department across the Republic; if not, why not; if so, (2) whether her department has put any measures in place to ensure that all learners are accommodated from the start of the 2024 academic year; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details
Reply:
1. Learner Transport Programme is a shared responsibility between the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Transport. The provisioning and prioritisation of learner transport programme is, however, a provincial competency and the National Departments of Basic Education and Transport monitor the provisioning of learner transport programme in provinces. Reports received from Provincial Departments of Education indicate that there is a total of 900 946 learners in 5 635 schools in need of learner’s transport
2. Learner transport programme is funded through the equitable share allocations to Provinces. As at the end of the second quarter of 2023/24 financial year, 707 069 learners in 4 196 schools were transported. This is as a result of budgetary constraints experienced by provinces. We must also note that learner transport programme at inception was an interim solution to provide access to education where there is a shortage of schools and such, provinces have been requested to collaborate with infrastructure units to build schools where there is a higher demand for learner transport programme and relief pressure on the transportation of learners.