Gauteng’s educational infrastructure deteriorating at an alarming rate

8 May 2018

Oversight visits to randomly selected schools in the Roodepoort area by the DA has reiterated that the province’s educational infrastructure is deteriorating at an ever increasing and alarming rate.

Because of government’s poor policy decisions, corruption and inefficiency, there is simply not enough money to go around.

As a result, insufficient budget for maintenance is allocated by the Gauteng Department of Education to schools.

Some schools, if they have funds available - as a result of the ability of learners to pay school fees, or if they have the wherewithal to fundraise, are in the lucky position to be able to make good the huge shortfall for maintenance and fix any maintenance issues that arise.

Unfortunately, most Gauteng schools are not able to do this.

This has resulted in an increased rate of deterioration of buildings and facilities over time.

The infrastructure deficits have an impact on learning and teaching and prejudice the safety and security of learners and educators.

It is simply not possible to pursue an increase in the quality of educational outcomes in an environment of this nature.

Structural defects of buildings, leaking roofs, rusted balustrades, roofing support structures, collapsing ceilings and crumbling walkways all have the potential of causing serious injury to learners and educators.

Click here, here, here and here to view photos.

It would indeed be interesting to see the response of the education department in the event of serious injuries. Previous experiences have shown that government shifts culpability and abdicates responsibility.

The DA will not allow this ANC government to mismanage the limited resources at our disposal to maintain schools.

Future generations would not thank us for allowing our educational resources to be run into the ground by an incompetent administration.

Issued by Alan Fuchs, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Infrastructure Development, 8 May 2018