Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the department’s two programmes aimed at providing appropriate sanitation, water and electricity at schools were nearing completion during the current 2023-24 financial year.
Responding to DA MP Baxolile Nodada, Motshekga said the department launched one of the programmes, the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) in 2011 to provide appropriate buildings for schools made entirely of inappropriate materials, water supply to schools with no water, sanitation at schools with no toilets and electricity supply to schools with no electricity supply.
She said there were initially 510 schools on the ASIDI programme made entirely of inappropriate materials.
Motshekga said the number of the ASIDI schools decreased to 332.
“Of the 332 schools made entirely of inappropriate materials, 330 have been replaced. The remaining two replacement schools are scheduled for completion in 2023-24,” she said.
Motshekga also said there were initially 1 117 schools on the ASIDI programme with no water supply.
She said the number of schools with no water increased to 1 306.
“Of the 1 306 water supply projects, 1 292 have been completed. The remaining 14 water supply projects are scheduled for completion in 2023-24.”
Motshekga added that there were initially 701 schools on the ASIDI programme with no toilets. The number of schools with no toilets increased to 1 087.
“All of the 1087 sanitation projects have been replaced.”
The minister added that of the 902 schools on the ASIDI programme with no electricity, the number decreased to 373.
“All of the 373 electricity supply projects have been completed,” she said.
Motshekga also said the department had in 2018 launched the Sanitation Appropriate For Education (SAFE) initiative that focused on providing appropriate sanitation at schools dependent on pit toilets.
“There were initially 3 898 schools on the SAFE programme. This number reduced to 3 382, as some of the schools were either provided with appropriate sanitation facilities, or the schools were due for rationalisation as they were found not to be viable,” she said.
“Of the 3 382 sanitation projects, 2 911 have been completed through SAFE. The remaining 471 sanitation projects are scheduled for completion in 2023-24,” Motshekga said.
Cape Times