Sir
South African schools have a long history of poor or non-existent water and sanitation provision, and with the dangers posed by the coronavirus, these limitations become even more life-threatening.
The IFP calls for a redoubling of efforts to provide permanent water and sanitation solutions for all our learners. Why are there still schools with pit latrines when President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative in 2018? How long will it take to rid our schools of this scourge, which has already claimed too many innocent victims.
Further, it is cold comfort to hear the Minister and her team assure the people of South Africa that all schools will have water thanks to “just-in-time delivery”, particularly as she herself admitted that the Department has a “poor record on water and sanitation”. Overcrowding in our schools is yet another ongoing obstacle to quality education. This has now also become a health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the well-documented danger posed by close contact. Although necessary to ensure the safety of all involved, social distancing in schools might prove to be an insurmountable challenge. If, as the Minister proposed, a class of 60 must be split in three, will there be sufficient teachers?
If teachers are available, will there be sufficient budget to pay these additional teachers? The Minister also shared possible solutions for providing much-needed additional space as more learners return to schools – including the use of community centres and tents. This could mean that learners will be attending classes outside school grounds, creating possible security issues. The IFP therefore calls for careful consideration of these options in relation to the supervision and safety of learners.
Another cause for alarm is the devastating cases of vandalism at schools across South Africa, with a reported 1577 schools (463 in KZN alone) falling victim to theft, fire and other destructive acts. We are not reassured by the Minister’s appeal to the public to assist in bringing the perpetrators to justice, nor are we confident that these particular schools will indeed be ready to welcome learners as of June 8. The Minister has offered assurances that the lives of the children will be put first, and the IFP will hold her to her word.
S Ngcobo, MP
IFP Secretary General
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