Education dept slated over schoolbag desks for grade 1 pupils

The basic education department has been criticised for introducing sponsorship-branded wheelie schoolbags called MiDesk, which can convert into a desk and chair.

This week, basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube, in partnership with fast-food giant McDonald's, donated the desks to the Saint Paul's Primary School in Cape Town. They are aimed at providing a solution for pupils facing infrastructure challenges.

“This donation is a testament to how partnership and innovation can positively affect a child’s life,” she said.

“Every child deserves a learning environment and appropriate infrastructure. Thank you to MiDesk for this solution and to McDonald’s for their continued support.”

The MiDesk, designed to be portable, features a solar light and USB charging portal. While the department says the desk/bag weighs only 2kg and is fitted with wheels for easy transport, many have expressed concerns about the practicality and safety of pupils carrying the heavy loads.

Actress Florence Masebe took to X and questioned whether the donors would want their children to carry the desks to school daily. She also highlighted the potential health risks associated with carrying heavy backpacks.

“Their own children can't carry a simple non-orthopaedically designed backpack to school because it's bad for the back. Yet they want to be applauded for making poor children carry a whole desk to school and to wash pads in the same river where they drink with livestock,” she said.

Other users on X echoed Masebe's sentiments, labelling the initiative a “failure” and accusing the department of using the programme as a marketing ploy for McDonald's.

The department clarified that carrying the desks home is not mandatory for pupils.

“It is not mandatory for learners to take the desks home. However, for those who do not have a dedicated study/workspace, the desk can double up for use at home and in class,” the department said.

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