Basic Education Minister plans to eradicate pit toilet structures in schools by March 2025

Durban — Department of Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said she will engage with education unions this week, as she plans to eradicate pit toilet structures in schools by March 2025.

According to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group website nearly 3 898 schools are identified as having pit latrines.

It also said that the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education convened in Parliament for a round table workshop to be introduced, inducted and orientated on the basic education sector.

Gwarube said there should not be an antagonistic relationship between the executive and Parliament, and the two should work symbiotically because Parliament plays an important role of oversight, and the executive plays the role of delivering the service.

She said this is necessary for the quality of the service that the executive delivers, for there to be oversight over the work it does.

Gwarube spoke about plans to eradicate pit latrines during her visit to a school in Limpopo earlier this week.

“It was indeed an honour to address the learners at Dendron Secondary School in the rural area of Bochum, Limpopo. This school has consistently produced top results, defying the odds. We must continue to leverage the power of education as a tool to transform one’s life,“ she said.

She added that she has informed the unions that she has been engaging with provinces to get a good sense of where the budget cuts are affecting them, where they need assistance the most and where she can make a case on their behalf to Treasury.

“While this is a matter that is sitting directly with the National Treasury, the department cannot sit back while front-line services are affected, because this will affect the quality of education.” .

Gwarube said the meeting with Treasury is scheduled for this week.

“We have to protect our teachers if we want to improve the education sector,” she said.

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