By Thapelo Molefe
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) came under intense scrutiny this week after revealing in its Fourth Quarterly Performance Report that major infrastructure targets were slashed, while persistent concerns over school safety, staff shortages and corruption remained largely unaddressed.
MPs grilled the department on the sharp reduction in school infrastructure delivery, failure to tackle corruption and unacceptable conditions at rural and township schools, warning that the current trajectory risked deepening inequality in education.
“Even if targets are revised due to constraints, such a drastic reduction from 30 schools to one needs explanation,” said Portfolio Committee on Basic Education chairperson Khomotjo Maimela while responding to the department’s admission that new school construction under Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) had all but stalled.
The DBE confirmed that its budget for school infrastructure, once valued at R2.4 billion, had been cut to R1.3 billion this financial year. It had been forced to reduce project targets across the board, including sanitation and water supply.
“This is the last year of the school infrastructure backlog grant,” explained department director-general Mathanzima Mweli.
“We’ve gone from eradicating over 1000 schools a year to just 100 and only managed to reach 152. Treasury told us we won’t receive anything additional.”
The department’s CFO Patrick Khunou added that the department had to borrow R150 million from Early Childhood Development (ECD) funds to complete urgent infrastructure work.
This brought the ASIDI budget to R1.8 billion, of which R1.7 billion (93.96%) was spent.
“We transferred 100% of conditional grants and 99.99% of other transfers. The R90,000 underspend was due to a favourable exchange rate,” said Khunou.
“The money is often transferred internationally and fluctuates with the currency.”
Khunou also confirmed that all transfers to public entities like the South African Council for Educators (SACE) were completed in full.
MPs expressed outrage at the DBE’s failure to address corruption allegations, especially in Mpumalanga, where an oversight visit and media reports uncovered possible procurement irregularities in the purchase of school computers.
“We know you have corruption, it was even on the map and we went to attend it. Why is it missing from your report?” one MP asked. “How can you educate our children with a system designed by a white man to manage you, while you do nothing to free them?”
In response, Mweli confirmed that Mpumlanga premier Mandla Ndlovu had launched a forensic investigation into the procurement of the laptops.
“The premier found the amount paid matched pricing for specialised data machines. The process is being dealt with, and the deputy minister has been briefed,” Mweli said.
The premier said earlier this month that an update was expected at the end of May.
Committee members were visibly disturbed by a firsthand report from an MP who conducted an oversight visit at Ngodini High School in Mpumalanga, where learners had recently protested.
“This school has 813 learners and only 22 teachers, three are SGB-paid. There are no teachers for Agricultural or Life Sciences. Learners pay R1,800 for a camp that provides no food. Toilets are inadequate. One security guard paid by the SGB and a fence you can walk around,” the MP said.
Further allegations included the principal’s control of school finances, his alleged appointment of a personal assistant to teach English without qualifications and serious claims of sexual harassment and the disappearance of food parcels.
“The principal is now suspended. He turned the school into his bedroom and kitchen. Our children are being failed and no one in the department has responded despite me raising this last week,” the MP added.
Mweli confirmed the department would send a comprehensive report on Ngodini High School within seven days.
MPs raised alarms about widespread teacher shortages, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Northern Cape, where schools lacked subject teachers especially in Grades 10 to 12.
“Phezulu High School in KZN was built in 1969 and hasn’t been renovated since. They’re missing 11 teachers. Uxolo Phambili High had no English or Geography teachers for four years,” one MP noted.
Mweli confirmed that KZN was under severe financial distress, with the provincial Treasury limiting decision-making by the education department.
“Teacher placement dropped from 90% to 54% due to lack of funds. The minister has written to the finance minister and asked for urgent intervention, including a delegated deputy minister if necessary,” Mweli said.
He added that the Free State could not pay employer contributions for medical aid, signalling a broader provincial fiscal collapse.
Several MPs criticised the collapse of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) and scholar transport in provinces like KZN and Eastern Cape.
“Some schools are not getting meals. Others have no transport. Yet the department reduced this to a bullet point,” an MP complained.
Mweli confirmed the issues and said provinces had been asked to report to the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), with ministerial follow-up meetings already scheduled with MECs in affected provinces.
On ECD programmes, the committee noted that many centres were run by unqualified caregivers and operated in unsafe facilities.
“We’ve visited 54 out of 75 targeted ECD sites. We will provide a report on how many are compliant and how many have qualified practitioners,” Mweli said.
In her remarks made earlier in the briefing, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube highlighted the Bana Pele national registration drive for ECD, opened by the president, as a sign of progress toward universal early learning access.
“This shows our commitment to quality, accessible ECD for every child,” said Gwarube.
MPs questioned the lack of designated career guidance staff for matric learners. Mweli responded that Life Orientation and Life Skills teachers provide guidance and offered to provide data on these personnel.
He also acknowledged foundational learning challenges, promising to share the national reading, writing and counting strategy used to monitor literacy improvement.
“We’re tracking impact and can share the outcomes with the committee,” he said.
Gwarube emphasised the department’s broader strategy.
“We are reorienting the system toward foundational learning, inclusive education and professional development of our educators. We don’t do this work in isolation, but we rely on the partnership and checks and balances provided by this committee,” she said.
Several members criticised the DBE for submitting only a PowerPoint presentation, saying it limited the depth of oversight.
“We need the actual report, not just slides. This must be fixed going forward,” one member stated.
Mweli agreed, confirming the department would submit both presentations and full reports in future engagements.
The portfolio committee left no doubt about its frustration and disappointment.
“Substandard education is being normalised. Only black schools suffer like this. The department is failing the learners of this country,” one MP declared.
While the department defended its constrained budget and outlined improvement strategies, MPs signalled that more urgent, transparent and measurable interventions were needed to restore confidence in the public education system.
INSIDE EDUCATION
