2017 School readiness report
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) presented its school readiness monitoring report for 2017 to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education.
The report identifies and addresses issues that have historically impacted negatively on the effective start of the academic year. One major challenge is the provision of sanitation, water, electricity and upgrading inappropriate structures in all schools.
MPs were concerned about the accuracy of the information presented relating to basic infrastructure and highlighted that this did not match their on-site inspections. They urged the Department to ensure that it receives correct reports from provinces and hold those responsible to account.
Lawmakers noted that the Department did not meet the first deadline of the Norms and Standards for Minimum School Infrastructure to ensure that all schools have access to water, electricity, sanitation and all inappropriate schools were rebuilt.
According to Equal Education, there are 5,004 schools with unreliable water supply, 4,986 schools that have only pit latrines as a form of sanitation, and 2,923 schools that have unreliable electricity supply.
The Department of Basic Education could face legal challenges for failing to provide basic amenities to schools after years of promises and missed deadlines.
The norms and standards are legally binding, and all provinces are required to meet the agreed targets.
Highlighting other challenges for school readiness, the department told Parliament:
- migration to major cities continued to be a challenge in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape
- schools in some provinces are still charging registration fees
- there is some inconsistent application of admission policies
- provinces close to national boundaries struggled with undocumented learners - mainly foreign learners, with North West and Gauteng experiencing shortages of classrooms
- the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the North West are slow with their admission responses and the resolution of registered queries.
- procuring textbooks and stationery ahead of the opening of schools
- ensuring that all schools have the necessary teachers for all grades and subjects at the start of the academic year.
In response to a written parliamentary question, the Minister of Basic Education said that her department had developed a new National Policy on HIV, STIs and TB that aims to provide comprehensive sexuality education programme in schools. In addition, the Policy also seeks to create access to Sexual and Reproductive Health services to learners.
Another response highlighted that after the President declared in his 2011 State of the Nation Address that the Government should make available sanitary dignity packs to deserving young girls and women, three provinces, namely: Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng, formed partnerships with Protector and Gamble to distribute sanitary towels to girl learners in selected schools. However, there was currently no available data on the number of learners and schools that have benefitted from this.