Sanitation in Tshwane schools prioritised

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has announced that improving sanitation and basic facilities in Tshwane schools are among its top priorities.

At the same time, it continues to safeguard teacher posts across the province and intensifies efforts to shut down illegal and unregistered schools.

According to GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona, this forms part of the department’s broader commitment to strengthening basic services in schools and improving teaching and learning conditions.

“The department remains focused on ensuring that schools in Tshwane provide clean and functional sanitation facilities for learners and staff,” he said.

To support this effort, the department has increased its budget for septic tank services from R15-million in the 2024/25 financial year to R27-million in the 2025/26 financial year.

Mabona noted that the department is committed to expanding and improving sanitation support for all schools that rely on septic tank systems across the province.

He explained that the standards for the regular emptying of septic tanks have remained consistent throughout the current financial year and that the frequency of service is determined by each school’s size and the amount of waste produced.

This ensures that resources are allocated according to need.

“We are working to ensure that every school that relies on septic tank systems receives services in line with its capacity and usage,” he added.

While a few schools in the Tshwane North, South, and West districts have experienced temporary disruptions, he said these were mainly due to delays from municipal or contracted service providers.

“We have been working closely with stakeholders to resolve these matters swiftly. Secondary schools, operating at higher daily capacity, have received priority attention when additional support is required.

To ensure long-term reliability, the department will co-ordinate with municipalities to improve turnaround times, establish rapid-response mechanisms to manage urgent sanitation issues, and strengthen monitoring systems to hold service providers accountable.

Mabona confirmed that no occupational health and safety incidents have been reported and that schools continue to receive guidance on maintaining hygiene standards.

“When urgent intervention was necessary, schools responsibly engaged private service providers to protect teaching and learning,” he added.

In another update, he also assured the stability of teaching staff in Gauteng, confirming that there will be no reduction of teacher posts in any Gauteng public school during the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years.

He noted that the department remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the stability of the schooling system by ensuring that all existing teacher posts are retained.

This approach aims to maintain optimal teacher-learner ratios and ensure that the delivery of quality education remains uncompromised.

“As such, no schools will experience a decrease in teacher posts, and there are no affected subjects, educators, or phases,” he said.

He explained that the GDE continues to prioritise classroom stability and equitable access to quality teaching across all quintiles in the province.

“We are ensuring that quality teaching is not compromised and that every learner has access to the same level of educational support,” he said.

The department also continues to act decisively against illegal and unregistered schools operating across the province.

Mabona revealed that the GDE aims to protect learners from unsafe and unaccredited institutions that place their safety, well-being, and prospects at risk.

He explained that these unlawful institutions often operate without proper accreditation, qualified educators, or adequate facilities, thereby undermining the quality and credibility of the education learners receive.

“Over the past two financial years, the department has identified and closed 21 illegal or unregistered schools operating across Gauteng.”

To prevent such schools from resurfacing under new names, Mabona said the GDE works closely with law enforcement agencies, the security cluster, and local ward councillors.

“Schools that continue to operate after being issued closure notices face criminal prosecution under the South African Schools Act, which prohibits the establishment or maintenance of any unregistered school,” he said.

He added that departmental officials also conduct periodic monitoring visits to previously affected areas to ensure compliance.

“The department continues to collaborate with municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and communities to ensure that unregistered and unsafe schools are identified and shut down promptly.”

Mabona said regular stakeholder engagements and joint operations are conducted in areas where illegal schooling is prevalent, and that community structures have been established to serve as the department’s eyes and ears on the ground.

The GDE has also established dedicated hotline numbers and email contacts where parents and community members can verify the registration status of any school or report suspicious institutions.

For verification or to report illegal schools, the following numbers and emails may be used: 060 891 0310/2, 060 891 0334, 083 289 3608, gdeindependentschools@gauteng.gov.za or talktothemec@gauteng.gov.za.

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