The National Council of Provinces said it was unhappy that some schools visited in Buffalo City Metro this week were in the sorry state that they were during an oversight visit in 2016.
Members of the NCOP are in the Eastern Cape this week conducting oversight visits in various parts of the province.
Following a visit to two schools in Mdantsane in East London on Wednesday after a briefing from the Provincial Education Department, NCOP delegation leader, Lungelwa Zwane, said they were disappointed to find that what they were told was different from the reality on the ground.
In a statement she said that both Ulwazi and Wongalethu High Schools "had similar challenges of dilapidated infrastructure and inadequate Learning Teaching Support Material" as was noted during the 2016 visit with only fencing being installed at these schools.
Zwane also said that she was disappointed that the Bhisho Education Department had sent junior officials who had no authority to make commitments on behalf of the department.
"The delegation derived no happiness to see how learners were still crammed in dilapidated classrooms. Although the delegation acknowledged progress made at Hlokoma High School in NU 1 and Vukuhambe Special School in NU 9, officials from the department were reprimanded for dragging their feet in implementing some projects. Both these schools need to be fenced immediately as crime is rife in that area and the schools are exposed to crime." she said.
"The progress made shows that while today is a bit better than yesterday, tomorrow can be even much better. However, there are still some outstanding issues and we will continue working towards ensuring that service delivery promises made to our people are implemented by all stakeholders concerned" Zwane said.
The NCOP's Taking Parliament to the People programme was established in 2002 to enhance public education and public participation, as a means of strengthening our democracy.
Zwane said the programme is based on the premise that the NCOP is crucial to overseeing cooperative government and intergovernmental relations.
