Mud classrooms' end nears

Pupils will no longer be forced to learn in mud classrooms and will have access to water and toilets at school.

All mud schools must be eradicated within three years, and those without electricity or water must be provided with basic facilities by the end of 2016.

This is now law.

NGO Equal Education fought for three years for laws that would compel the government to ensure that all 25000 schools have adequate facilities and infrastructure.

On Friday, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga published the regulations governing school infrastructure.

"This is a major victory for activism," said Equal Education general secretary Brad Brockman.

"The regulations will be part of Motshekga's legacy and will benefit millions of children - if they are implemented."

The regulations are designed to ensure that every school has a library, a science laboratory and modern sanitation.

The NGO said it could not have won without the help of the thousands of pupils who had campaigned for decent school infrastructure.

Motshekga's office said the regulations were intended to ensure that all new schools were built to the required standard. A time frame had been set for infrastructure backlogs to be dealt with.

The regulations give the government 10 years in which to provide all schools with libraries and science laboratories.

Provincial MECs must tell the education department how they intend improving schools.