The Eastern Cape Education Department says to have eradicated over 800 pit latrine toilets in the province.
According to the report, this was accomplished through the Basic Education eradication program (SAFE). The province had a backlog of over 1400 pit latrines.
Briefing the media on the developments in the department, MEC Fundile Gade says most of the pit latrines have been modernised to be safe and give children dignity.
“Do you have that infrastructure system in the country’s rural areas? If not, how are you going to connect whatever kind of a design of toilets you are introducing in the absence of the bulk infrastructure system in a country? I have never seen a village in this country that has got a bulk infrastructure.”
The Acting Head of Department, Mahlubandile Qwase says the department plans to build 22 mega-schools with hostels to improve learning and cut scholar transport costs.
“And the intention was to insure that in those 22 mega schools that we have amalgamated, we’ll put hostels there to ensure that a number of these kids stay in a hostel. So we also reduce the cost of scholar transport on the one hand. You must know that the amount that we spend is about R654 million on scholar transport. Imagine if that money could be shifted to these hostels. How many hostels and schools could have been built with that money.”
