The Democratic Alliance welcomes the settlement agreement between the Department of Education and seven mud schools in the Eastern Cape, to provide them with sufficient infrastructure. We applaud the decision to allocate R6 billion to eradicate all such structures in South Africa.
However, promises in relation to the eradication of mud schools have been made before, and the DA will be monitoring the department’s undertaking closely to ensure this blight on society is removed.
The DA has always believed that an injustice had been done to these learners who come from one of the most impoverished areas in the Eastern Cape.
We believe that justice has prevailed. The precarious state of these dilapidated structures will be replaced with buildings that will be conducive to quality teaching and learning and will enhance the opportunities of these learners in realising their dreams.
This should also be a lesson to the Department of Education to refrain from allowing schools to deteriorate beyond repair, resulting in astronomical costs.
The DA suggests that monies appropriated for school infrastructure should be ring fenced and that the building of schools should be gazetted.
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