Basizeni and Ethokomala among schools flagged in damning legislative oversight report
The Portfolio Committee on Education conducted unannounced oversight visits to six of the province’s 18 special schools, uncovering serious challenges affecting the quality of education and care provided to learners with special needs.
Mpumalanga’s special schools are grappling with severe staff shortages, deteriorating infrastructure, inadequate learning resources and security concerns, according to a Focus Intervention Study (FIS) report tabled before the Mpumalanga Legislature.
The Portfolio Committee on Education conducted unannounced oversight visits to six of the province’s 18 special schools, uncovering serious challenges affecting the quality of education and care provided to learners with special needs.
Among the schools flagged in the report are Basizeni Special School in eMbalenhle and Ethokomala Special School and Youth Care Centre in Kinross.
The findings highlight a shortage of qualified special-education teachers, speech, audiology and occupational therapy (SASO) services, and nursing personnel.
The report also raises concerns about dilapidated buildings, inadequate sanitation, safety risks, the lack of specialised learner transport and a shortage of adapted teaching and learning materials.
At Basizeni Special School, 268 learners have been affected by disruptions to state-subsidised specialised scholar transport, leaving families struggling to ensure that learners can access education.
ALSO CHECK: Evander Gold Mines appoints new environmental manager
The school is also reportedly receiving monthly utility bills ranging between R80 000 and R90 000 despite allegedly having no electricity supply. It faces a shortage of 11 SASO therapists, further limiting the support available to learners.
Adding to the school’s challenges is a land ownership dispute involving a businessman who allegedly claims to have bought the property on which the school stands from the Govan Mbeki Municipality.
According to the information provided, the businessman is demanding that the school relocate or pay monthly rent for occupying the property.
Responding to the findings, Mpumalanga Department of Education spokesperson Jasper Zwane said most of the FIS recommendations aligned with the department’s ongoing efforts to improve education quality, service delivery and conditions at special schools.
He said the department was considering the recommendations contained in the report.
“The provision of speech, audiology and occupational therapy services (SASO) at Basizeni Special School will be considered, however, take into consideration the availability of suitable physical classroom facilities, as these services are provided in accordance with a ratio of one therapist per classroom,” said Zwane.
ALSO CHECK: Secunda property owners call for action on illegal structures
Regarding the transport disruption, Zwane confirmed that 268 learners at Basizeni had been affected. He said an agreement had been reached to restore specialised scholar transport following extensive engagements and negotiations with relevant stakeholders.
“The services are being progressively reinstated, with the remaining routes scheduled to commence during 2027, subject to the finalisation of the implementation process,” he said.
Zwane said the department remained committed to working with stakeholders to restore the services and improve access to education for affected learners.
On the electricity supply and billing concerns, he said the department had engaged Govan Mbeki Municipality to address supply interruptions, improve reliability and resolve billing-related issues, including additional charges that might arise from municipal electricity billing arrangements.
He added that the matter remained under discussion as the department and other stakeholders sought sustainable solutions.
Regarding the land dispute, Zwane confirmed that the department was aware of the matter and had referred it to its legal services.
“The department’s legal representative has engaged the relevant parties and initiated the appropriate legal processes to establish the facts and identify a lawful and lasting resolution,” he said.
He added that the department would continue pursuing the matter through the appropriate legal channels to safeguard its interests and ensure that the provision of education at the school was not unduly disrupted.
Meanwhile, conditions at Ethokomala Special School and Youth Care Centre in Kinross also attracted the committee’s attention.
The report raised concerns about the availability of nursing services, security arrangements, the condition of buildings and sanitation, as well as shortages of functional computers and essential protective clothing.
Zwane said CCTV surveillance systems had been installed on the school premises. However, he clarified that security management of the residential component fell within the respective mandates of the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
He said Ethokomala had a resident nurse provided through the DSD, which was responsible for the residential component of the facility, including after-hours care and related nursing services.
“The Department of Education can confirm that nursing services are available to learners during the teaching and learning period. However, responsibility for after-hours and overnight care, including nursing services within the residential facility, rests with DSD,” said Zwane.
ALSO CHECK: Sewage spill in Standerton leaves Ext 8 residents battling unbearable stench
He explained that Ethokomala operates as a Child and Youth Care Centre under the DSD, with learners placed at the facility through court orders while receiving educational services in residential care.
According to Zwane, continuous medical and residential care is addressed in collaboration with the department responsible for managing the residential component.
He said the Department of Education was also working to strengthen security at schools identified as vulnerable or having compromised security arrangements.
This included promoting CCTV installations as a standard security measure, in line with recommendations submitted to the relevant authorities.
On teaching and learning resources, Zwane said the department had prioritised Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) for Office Administration and other skills-related subjects at special schools during the 2027/28 to 2029/30 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period.
He said an equipment maintenance plan would also be implemented to ensure that new resources were properly maintained, effectively used and sustained over the long term.
The plan would further consider equipment already available at special schools to ensure that existing resources were maintained and used optimally.
Zwane said the interventions were intended to strengthen the availability and sustainability of teaching and learning resources while improving special schools’ capacity to provide relevant education and skills-development opportunities to learners with diverse educational needs.
