This is according to the Basic Education Portfolio Committee. In a report consisting of the department’s shortfalls and several recommendations for the sixth administration, it is highlighted that there is a high need to improve infrastructure at schools, ensure inclusive education to reach all learners with special education needs and those in rural areas, as well as to deal with irregular and fruitless expenditure.

It is also highlighted that the department must submit regular progress reports on measures taken to address these challenges as well as those taken to deal with lack of teacher development and sanitation backlogs, amongst other pressing issues.

The Sanitation Audit conducted last year following the death of learners who drowned in pit latrines, showed that there was still a huge challenge with unsafe pit toilets, including the need to build new facilities and to destroy old unsafe facilities at various schools across the country.

A large number of schools with pit latrines only and unacceptable sanitation are still mainly found in the Eastern Cape, followed by KwaZulu-Natal, the audit outcome indicated that over 150 of these schools are found in the Free State while 145 are found in the North West.

Meanwhile, the government in the Free State has vowed to improve the state of education in the province and infrastructure at schools. Premier Sisi Ntombela has last week during the State of the Province Address announced plans to have at least eight schools completed by the end of the current fiscal year.

In efforts to address schools’ infrastructure challenges, Ntombela further warned that action will be taken against contractors who do not meet set completion dates.

OFM News