Parliament says the Basic Education Department is under-reporting challenges in many schools countrywide.
CAPE TOWN – Parliament’s basic education portfolio committee says department officials are exaggerating successes and under-reporting challenges in many schools countrywide.
The committee on Tuesday grilled officials on the state of readiness for the 2017 school year.
While the department says it’s ready, Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed concern over a lack of infrastructure and whether textbooks would be delivered on time.
Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape were flagged as three provinces with the biggest education-related problems.
The committee’s Desiree van der Walt says, “They need to have textbooks and teachers who are qualified to teach and are in the classroom. When we come to infrastructure our learners need to have water, electricity and proper sanitation.”
Giovanna Gerbi is a freelance journalist.
This article appeared in Eyewitness News on 30 November 2016