A recent department of basic education report on school infrastructure has revealed that only 3,926 or 17.4% of the country’s 22,597 public schools have science laboratories.
A total 3,421 of the 3,649 schools in Limpopo; 4,679 of the 5,046 schools in Eastern Cape and 5,019 of the 5,797 schools in KwaZulu-Natal don’t have these facilities.
Another dismal statistic is that only 5,823 schools in SA have libraries, and of these, only 3,312 are stocked with books.
These figures are contained in the new education facility management system (EFMS) report as at August 21, which replaced the previously used national education infrastructure management system (NEIMS).
The EFMS helps the department monitor progress in the provision of infrastructure to schools and identifies shortages needed.
According to the document, the provision of school infrastructure is based on the regulations on the minimum uniform norms and standards for public school infrastructure gazetted by basic education minister Angie Motshekga in 2013.
The objectives of the regulations are:
• to provide minimum uniform norms and standards for public school infrastructure;
• to ensure that there is compliance with the minimum uniform norms and standards in the design and construction of new schools and additions, alterations and improvements to schools which exist when these regulations are published; and
• to provide time frames to eradicate school infrastructure backlogs.
The report confirmed that all 22,597 schools had electricity, 635 also had generators, and 1,285 relied on solar energy as well.
All schools also had water, with 6,572 schools using water from boreholes and wells, including 1,127 from KwaZulu-Natal and 2,691 from Limpopo.
Tankers supply water to 1,258 schools, while 10,408 schools also harvested rainwater, including 4,109 from Eastern Cape and 5,785 from KwaZulu-Natal.
Schools still have a long way to go in providing internet connectivity for teaching and learning as only 4,856 had connectivity.
At least 66.2% of schools did not have computer centres.
Almost 30 years after democracy, 728 schools, including 506 in Eastern Cape, 148 in KwaZulu-Natal and 74 in Limpopo are still using pit toilets.
According to an April 2021 report which mentioned 23,276 operational schools compared with 22,597 now, there were 2,130 with pit toilets. This has now been reduced to 728.
The report found that 69.59% of schools were without libraries, while the percentage now stands at 74.2%. In April 2021, 80.07% of schools had no science laboratories. This is now 82.6%.
On Sunday, Motshekga told a press briefing that as far as the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) programme was concerned, they were confident as a sector that their annual performance plans were on target.
We are very sure by March 31, we would have dealt with all the infrastructure plans that we have. At the moment 2,871 schools (on the SAFE programme) have been provided with sanitation and 511 schools that are at various stages will be completed by March.
— Angie Motshekga, basic education minister
“We are very sure by March 31, we would have dealt with all the infrastructure plans that we have. At the moment 2,871 schools (on the SAFE programme) have been provided with sanitation and 511 schools that are at various stages will be completed by March.”
Peter Storrar, director of advancement at Hilton College, said they have secured a donation of solar equipment to mitigate electricity expenses from the grid.
Shaun Simpson, headmaster of Rondebosch Boys’ High in Cape Town, said they compensated for electricity outages by using solar, inverters and generators “to keep continuity in schooling”.
Tony Reeler, headmaster of Bishops in Cape Town, said the cost of energy, including the provision of diesel for generators, “is going to drive our budget quite hard this year and next year”.
“We had a massive capital outlay in terms of generators and inverters, but the ongoing cost of diesel is going to be high.”
Commenting on the latest statistics, Prof Labby Ramrathan from the education faculty at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, said they were meaningless “unless it tells one what has been achieved and what deteriorated since the last count”.
“Without these details, it is unclear if progress is being made in providing conducive teaching and learning environments.”
On the 728 schools that had pit toilets, he said it was “shameful despite pronouncements that were made by the government to eradicate all pit toilets”.
“There are skilled plumbers and engineers that can be employed to build toilets in these schools, but the procurement system obstructs quick interventions.”
He said the presence of libraries “is not material to teaching and learning, but what is material is how opportunities are created in and outside class for accessing and reading books and materials”.
“With increasing access to the digital terrain, virtual libraries are more conducive to schools than physical libraries.”
Commenting on the dire shortage of science laboratories, Ramrathan said it was unimaginable how a country can promote science, technology, engineering and maths subjects “but fail to create an inspiring teaching and learning environment to support this agenda”.
Prof Elbie Henning from the University of Johannesburg’s Soweto campus said anyone who cares about learning would lament the shortage of libraries.
“On the other hand, classroom book stocks may be more effective than we think. I would encourage governing bodies to use funds to buy books that are grade and language-related for classrooms.”
Alluding to the lack of science laboratories, she said a lot of learning takes place in well-equipped and well-run laboratories with a teacher who knows how to use it.
“However, having some basic equipment in a classroom, especially in primary schools, can serve a good purpose.”
She said the question arose whether good science learning depends on a laboratory.
“And what about mobile lab equipment? Do young people not have adaptive skills, and do many of them not use mobile phones for demonstrations of experiments?
“Of course, it helps a great deal if a school has internet connection and enough devices to share among learners.”
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