Question NW2234 to the Minister of Basic Education
19 September 2017 - NW2234
Mbabama, Ms TM to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) Which schools did not receive the National School Nutrition Programme meals (a) in the (i) 2014, (ii) 2015 and (iii) 2016 academic years and (b) since January 2017; (2) what are the relevant details in each case with regard to the (a) name of the school, (b) date(s) on which meals were not received, (c) number of learners affected, (d) reasons for non-delivery and (e) steps taken by her department to address the issue?
Reply:
(a)
Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) only report on the number of schools which did not receive meals on quarterly basis. The records of schools affected are kept at district offices. A process is underway to collect this data.
|
i. 2014 |
ii. 2015 |
iii. 2016 |
|
117 schools (60 schools in EC and 57 in LP) |
115 schools (85 in LP, 29 in EC and 1 in GP |
400 schools (32 in GP,111 in LP,145 in EC, 112 in FS) |
(b)
|
2017 |
|
109 schools in KZN and EC |
(2) what are the relevant details in each case with regard to the (a) name of the school, (b) date(s) on which meals were not received, (c) number of learners affected, (d) reasons for non-delivery and (e) steps taken by her department to address the issue?
NW2468E
Response:
(2)(a) (b)(c) and (d)
The 2014 – 2017 records of schools, number of learners affected, the dates and reasons are kept at the Districts while the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) submits a composite record of schools that did not receive NSNP meals in the quarterly reports. The Department is in the process of collating this data from the PEDs which is anticipated to be completed at the end of September 2017.
(2)(e)
Generally, the following steps are taken:
If there is continuous or persistent non-delivery, the Department of Basic Education deploys a Response Team to the province to monitor and help address challenges in the affected schools. On the occasion that non-feeding is reported by the media or member of the public, DBE will immediately consult the province to intervene and provide a report on how it was addressed. Further steps that were taken include:
a) Identifying training needs if there are shortcomings in the management and control of NSNP funds;
b) Meetings with Service Providers/Suppliers on quality and non-delivery of food items;
c) Liaison with Department of Health in terms of alleged food contamination;
d) Termination of a contract in cooperation with PED where there is gross sub-standard delivery.
All these cases were resolved within reasonable time frames.