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By Johnathan Paoli
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube came under renewed scrutiny as Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education probed persistent backlogs in school infrastructure and uneven learner outcomes across provinces, despite billions of rand being allocated annually to the sector.
Responding to findings from the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC), Gwarube acknowledged that infrastructure remains one of her department’s most pressing challenges.
While progress has been made in eliminating pit latrines, 206 schools continue to operate in unsafe or “inappropriate structures,” with the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, and Northern Cape worst affected.
“This remains a massive Achilles heel for the department. We are inching closer to the 100% mark on eradicating pit toilets, but progress is slower than desired,” Gwarube admitted.
The pressure came after the FFC highlighted entrenched disparities in school resources, inefficiencies in spending, and weak learner performance in underfunded communities.
Gwarube defended her department’s efforts, citing improvements in mathematics and science through the Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) grant, but stressed it is only one intervention among broader reforms.
“It would be misleading to judge the entirety of our effort on the basis of one grant,” she said.
She also assured MPs that the department is reviewing its funding norms to better balance equity, fiscal realism, and sustainability.
FFC chairperson Nombeko Mbava presented stark findings, noting that South Africa’s basic education system—serving over 12.5 million learners—remains marked by unequal resource distribution.
Public schools, particularly in poorer quintiles, face overcrowding, weak infrastructure, and poor matric results. In 2024, only 44.4% of learners in quintile one schools achieved a bachelor pass, compared with 60.3% in quintile five schools.
“Equity in education is not just about allocating funds. It is about ensuring that every learner, regardless of where they are born, has access to the same quality of education, infrastructure, and opportunities,” Mbava warned.
The FFC report highlighted further gaps: more than 82% of schools lack laboratories and computer centres, 74% have no libraries, and 40% are without sports facilities. Even where libraries exist, many are poorly stocked.
Conditional grants showed mixed results.
The Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) reported high expenditure, yet provinces such as the Eastern Cape and North West failed to meet half their maintenance targets.
The ASIDI programme, tasked with eliminating unsafe structures, continues to lag behind schedule.
While the evidence underscored systemic problems, MPs targeted Gwarube personally. EFF MP Mandla Shikwambana criticised her for leaving committee meetings early.
“We cannot continue with a minister who is either absent, leaves early, or doesn’t engage. It is abnormal, and we cannot normalise it,” he said, noting that departmental spending is often reported without baseline data, making it hard to track progress on toilets, classrooms, and laboratories.
ActionSA’s Lerato Ngobeni added that simply “throwing money at the problem” is insufficient and insisted accountability must rest with the minister.
“We cannot allow ministers to evade responsibility by leaving their deputies and DGs to answer tough questions,” she warned.
Committee chair Joy Maimela defended the committee’s oversight role but encouraged members to formally escalate attendance concerns.
“If the minister’s availability is a challenge, this should be raised with the Speaker,” she said.
INSIDE EDUCATION