Education Department counters criticism of delivery record in the EC ...

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

T he Department of Basic Education says it continues to deliver furniture and facilities to schools in the Eastern Cape.

This after EyeWitness News reported that a number of Eastern Cape schools still don't have furniture or adequate infrastructure, despite a promise by President Jacob Zuma that this would be addressed by the middle of August.

In a lengthy and detailed statement today, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, said that government continues to restore dignity to education by building new schools and delivering much needed facilities to schools around the country and particularly in the Eastern Cape.

She said the Samson Primary School near Mthatha in particular will be the recipient of entirely new facilities built from alternative construction technology by December 2014.

The school was one of those mentioned in the news report as not having the requisite infrastructure as Zuma had promised.

Motshekga says the Department of Basic Education is building close to 500 schools nationally under the Accelerated School Infrastructure Development Initiative.

Here is the full statement:

Education department continues to deliver furniture to schools in the Eastern Cape

Government continues to restore dignity to education by building new schools and delivering much needed facilities to schools around the country and particularly in the Eastern Cape. Samson Primary School in particular will be the recipient of entirely new facilities built from alternative construction technology by December 2014.

With reference to furniture, the Department of Basic Education has procured 78 240 double combination desks, 5 292 teachers' tables and chairs from the Department of Labour to the value of R59, 993,202.24. To date 53, 948 desks, 5292 teacher's chairs and 1134 teacher's tables were delivered to schools in the Eastern Cape.

More than 73, 084 desks were also ordered from the Department of Environmental Affairs to the value of R 42 827 224.00. The first batch of 252 schools in Libode district in the Eastern Cape has received its consignment consisting of 24 535 desks. A further consignment of 24 000 desks is currently being delivered to the Eastern Cape. Treasury has finalized a further contract to supply furniture from Grade R to 12 for the period August 2014 to July 2016. Furniture provision is an ongoing programme.

The Department of Basic Education is building close to 500 schools nationally under the ASIDI programme. The bulk of the schools are being built in the Eastern Cape and regular updates are given on the department's website. Barring unforeseen delays, it takes 10 to 15 months for a state of the art school to be built. Learning is not interrupted as the learners are housed in temporary mobile classrooms during construction and immediately take occupation of the new facilities as soon as they are ready.

Standard facilities for newly built schools include classrooms, administration blocks multi-purpose centres, science and computer labs, nutrition centres, libraries, decent sanitation, electricity, rain water harvesting tanks per school and a fully resourced Grade R centre complete with jungle gym and sand pit.

As at 18 August we have built 70 new schools in the Eastern Cape and 4 in the Western Cape.

ASIDI also provides basic services of water, electricity and sanitation to schools that previously had none. On sanitation, to date 266 schools have been provided with sanitation. 339 schools are at various stages of procurement of contractors and construction. On water, to date 224 schools have been provided with water. 685 schools are at various stages procurement of contractors and construction of the works.
On electrification, to date 265 schools have been provided with electrification. 212 schools are at various stages of design and procurement of contractors.

Schools are assessed to establish infrastructure needs. DBE appoints implementing agents that implement and manage batches of projects on its behalf. The Implementing Agents in turn procure and appoint professional service providers and contractors to execute the work.