Will a public school ever be built in Ward 97?
According to Knott, the ward has 35 private schools, costing a minimum of R3 000 per month per child, but it does not have a single public school.
Is the ANC-led Gauteng Government serious about education or will it continue to mismanage funds intended for the development of our children?
City of Johannesburg MMC for Economic Development, councillor Leah Knott, asked this question after criticising the Gauteng MEC of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, for failing to deliver on promises to build a public primary school intended for Radiokop and Wilgeheuwel learners.
Knott, the councillor for Ward 97, who is fazed by the number of children missing out on education in her ward, threw the information into the spotlight after learning about the Gauteng Department of Education’s (GDE) expenditure that has gone to waste.
Also Read: Ward 97 school to be finished in 2015
According to Knott, the ward has 35 private schools, costing a minimum of R3 000 per month per child, but it does not have a single public school.
In a statement, Knott said MPL Khume Ramulifho, the DA Shadow MEC for Education, revealed that a total of R9,5 million had been spent on site establishment for the public school. During 2017/ 2018, R2,2 million was allocated for planning that included land surveying, site establishment and levelling in preparation for civil earthworks.
This process was indeed confirmed by the GDE.
“We can add that an amount of R2, 2 million, which was budgeted for the 2017/18 financial year, has already been utilised for the preparatory work which included land surveying, site establishment and levelling in preparation for civil works. An amount of R9, 5 million was also spent on site establishment and earthworks, conducted in 2015,” said Steve Mabona, GDE spokesperson, who admitted that a promise to build the school was indeed made.
He added that, “It is important to inform that, we are finalising the Township Establishment Application process for the said project”.He further explained that since the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes are still under way, it is not possible to budget for this project at this stage.
“In the event, the EIA is completed before the budget adjustment process, the project will be included in the Adjustment Budget for 2018/19,” said Mabona.
According to Mabona, the school will be a standard primary school consisting of 28 classrooms and all other related facilities that conform to the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure. He further emphasised that the commencement and completion date for the construction of the school will be determined by the completion of the EIA and Township Establishment processes.
Knott reminded the GDE that education is a constitutional right and a means of empowering the youth to access opportunities later in life. “However, it is obvious that this is not very high on the ANC’s list of priorities,” she concluded with criticism.
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