Responding to questions about poor infrastructure and a lack of schools in the Phokwane Local Municipality, Minister Angie Motshekga says there are plans underway to build more schools and to improve the overall state of education in the province. She indicates the Northern Cape Department of Education is hard at work ensuring that there is adequate infrastructure at schools in the province and that every learner's right to education is honoured.

Her response comes after the EFF in Parliament raised concerns over the state of education in the Phokwane Municipality, which includes Hartswater.

Motshekga has refuted allegations that learners in this municipality are deprived the right to education, stating that within this area there is a Primary School named CW Kies Intermediate School, which accommodates learners from Grade R to Grade 8.

"Over the last three years, the learner enrolment at this school was 752 (2018), 730 (2019), and 744 (2020), which on average indicates a decline in learners. This is also the case over a 5-year period," she said.

In a written reply, Motshekga further outlines that within the Infrastructure Plans there is a new English Medium Primary and Secondary School planned for Hartswater, however, sites for these schools have not yet been acquired.

She indicates that whilst the province has specified that there are no plans for a new school for this specific area, the current school infrastructure caters for learners within the vicinity and that the provincial department will be focusing on other areas.

Premier Zamani Saul yesterday officiated a sod-turning ceremony of the new Petrusville Primary School in the Pixley Ka Seme District. The school is said to be one of the biggest infrastructure development projects costing approximately R100 million.

OFM News