Basic Education ‘making progress’ in eradicating pit toilets, 2 825 schools still use pit toilets: Motshega

Basic Education says it is making progress in eradicating pit toilets at schools. Motshekga says the initial report that more than 3 000 schools still depend on pit latrines, was shown to be incorrect, after a verification process.

She says at some of the schools, there were toilet facilities but the water supply to the schools had been cut.

Motshekga says the verification process now shows 2 825 schools are still using pit toilets.

“From the 2 825, 1 185 schools have already received new sanitation. We have in the system also a thousand which are at different stages of implementation. We even had a meeting this morning with the deputy minister. We’re left with less than a thousand.”

Matric examinations

Earlier Motshekga, said it’s all system go for the Grade 12 final exams, starting on the 27th of October. This year 735 677 full-time candidates enrolled for the matric exams, which makes it the largest cohort since the start of the National Senior Certificate.  

It is also 128 000 candidates more than last year.  

Motshekga says despite the challenges faced by the learners last year and this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she expects better results from previous years.  

Minister Angie Motshekga gives an update on the developments in the basic education sector: