By Levy Masiteng
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube identified serious shortcomings in school infrastructure and safety measures during oversight visits to two Eastern Cape schools, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) said on Monday.
The visits to Pellsrus Primary School and Humansdorp Senior Secondary School in the Kouga Local Municipality were aimed at assessing progress in infrastructure upgrades and reinforcing the implementation of national school safety measures, the department said.
At Pellsrus Primary School, Gwarube met the newly appointed contractor tasked with accelerating outstanding infrastructure work under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative.
In a statement, the department said the engagement showed delays in sanitation upgrades, leading Gwarube to stress the need for faster action to provide learners with safe and dignified sanitation facilities.
“The oversight programme included a structured walkabout of the school premises to verify that previous delays in sanitation upgrades were being resolved and that project timelines were being realigned to ensure learners access safe, reliable, and dignified sanitation facilities without further deferment,” said DBE spokesperson, Terence Khala.
At Humansdorp Senior Secondary School, Gwarube led a school safety briefing, reviewed the school’s safety documentation and highlighted the importance of compliance with the National School Safety Framework (NSSF).
“A key highlight of the visit was the signing of the School Safety Pledge, a collective affirmation by learners, educators, and the community to uphold a culture of respect, protection, and shared responsibility in creating secure and enabling learning environments,” Khala said.
In September, a learner at Humansdorp Senior Secondary was stabbed to death by classmates, who have since been arrested.
Gwarube said of her visit to the school: “I came to assess the school’s safety protocol with SAPS, and to ensure their protocols for dealing with violent crimes and misconduct are living and implementable documents. The learners signed the inaugural anti-bullying pledge, vowing to be champions of a violence-free school. We cannot fight violence in schools [alone]. We need to work together as government departments, schools, parents, communities and learners.”
At both schools, she stressed the need to prioritise infrastructure resilience and school safety. “These oversight visits demonstrate the Department’s strategic prioritisation of infrastructure resilience and school safety as interdependent pillars of an effective and equitable education system,” she said.
The DBE said it remains committed to ensuring that every learner in the Eastern Cape and across the country benefits from a schooling environment that is safe, dignified and conducive to learning.
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