The department’s spokesperson, Howard Ndaba, says the maintenance of infrastructure is of high importance at all schools across the province and they have started with their general maintenance at a number of schools that needed refurbishments.

His statement follows concerns recently raised by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in the province over the state of infrastructure, provision of learning material to schools, overcrowded classrooms, and poor hygiene on school premises.

Coupled to this, the DA’s Shadow Minister of Basic Education, Nomsa Marchesi, has during her announced oversight visit to schools in the Winburg and Marquard areas yesterday raised concerns over the continued use of asbestos material at schools, and inadequate sanitation.

Marchesi told OFM News that it is appalling to see how learners at the Itemoheng Primary School and others in Marquard are subject to poor conditions. She says the school is overcrowded, with a teacher-learner ratio of 1:50. She says infrastructure at the school is dilapidated to a point that whenever it rains the school’s fields and classrooms get flooded, leading to disruptions which in her view is a violation of the basic rights of the learners at the school.

Marchesi says the provincial government is indifferent to the plight experienced by learners. Ndaba has, on the other hand, said the provincial education department is committed to developing infrastructure at all schools which need to be renovated and they are attending to such concerns.

He highlights that general building maintenance, plumbing and roof repairs at the Tlong Kganyeng School, Naledi ya Bochabela, and Winburg Combined School are done, while the construction of five additional classrooms and two toilet blocks at the Tlong Kganyeng School are underway.

He also alludes that the challenge of water in the area of Marquard has made it difficult for schools to maintain their ablution facilities after the department has done infrastructure maintenance on the ablution facilities.

OFM News