The appalling state of sanitation facilities at schools in the Eastern Cape show how little regard the Department of Education has for the learners under its care. The current implementation rate to address backlogs in eradicating pit latrines means that three generations of learners will never know the dignity of proper sanitation facilities. Rather than taking drastic steps to eradicate the pit latrines at schools, Education MEC Fundile Gade would …


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The Eastern Cape government has turned its back on the learners of Louis Rex Primary School in Komani, who have to attend class in appalling conditions. The DA will now be raising the school’s plight in parliament and will also engage with the national department of basic education, as no child should have to go to school under such appalling conditions. Today, 12 February 2020, I was accompanied by Désirée …


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Education is a constitutional right, a basic human right, a strategic priority and the best possible vehicle to empower South Africans and develop our country. Quality education is the key to improved quality of life. It empowers individuals to obtain a fulfilling job, contribute to the economy and utilise their talents to the full. For this reason, at the beginning of the new academic year, our public representatives conducted oversight …


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The Democratic Alliance will be calling for a full forensic investigation into the construction of new classrooms and school hall at the Jubilee Park Primary School in Uitenhage. Today I, along with shadow MEC for Public Works, Vicky Knoetze, and shadow MEC for transport, Marshall von Buchenroder, conducted oversight at the school as part of the DA’s School Readiness Programme. What we have seen here today is simply unacceptable! This …


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The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape wishes all teachers and learners well for the 2020 school year. We hope that you will continue building on the success achieved by the Class of 2019, who improved on the matric pass rate in the province from 70,6% in 2018 to 76,5% in 2019. The number of bachelor’s passes also increased from 27,4% to 32,3% in 2019. Education is a passport to …


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The Eastern Cape Scholar Transport programme should be removed from the Department of Transport and placed back under the Department of Education as a matter of urgency. The Transport portfolio committee report tabled last week revealed that the Department had failed to account for R55.5 million for Scholar Transport, as there were inadequate supporting documents to substantiate the expenses incurred. It cannot be that millions of rands go unspent, while …


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Unemployed youth, that are appropriately qualified in Maths, Science and Languages could assist with a tutoring programme in the Eastern Cape, along the same lines as in the Western Cape. These tutors would provide much needed assistance by helping schools battling with teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms. These youths could provide valuable additional tutorage to learners in the Eastern Cape, thus improving on overall learner performance and reducing drop outs. …


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The Democratic Alliance welcomes the precautionary suspension of the Education Department’s Chief Financial Officer, Jason O’Hara, following allegations of administrative misconduct. However, the Education Portfolio Committee can no longer be kept in the dark on this matter. O’Hara’s suspension follows the arrest of an Education Official last week, who is alleged to have stolen money from the School Nutrition Programme. The DA understands that the suspension is by no means …


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