The IFP in KwaZulu Natal is shocked at the exorbitant amounts spent by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education on mobile classrooms.
In response to a question asked by Hon. Mntomuhle Khawula (IFP) to the MEC for Education about the number of mobile classrooms in schools in KZN per district, the Department gave the following response:
The KZN Department of Education has 2849 mobile classrooms in total. The leading district is Zululand with 522, followed by Pinetown with 457, third is Ugu with 357, followed by Umkhanyakude with 303. Other districts are Umzinyathi with 278, Harry Gwala with 216, Uthukela with 211, then Amajuba with 125, King Cetshwayo with 120, Umlazi with 107. The lowest are Umgungundlovu at 98 and Ilembe at 55.
The question continued, with enquiries about the cost of each mobile classroom. The Department responded that they purchased mobile classrooms at a cost of R230 000 each. This means that from 2016 to date, at a cost of R230 000 per unit, the Department has spent R655 270 000 on mobile classrooms. Most of these mobile classrooms seem to be in the rural areas and the townships. This situation does not help to improve the quality of education in our province, and does not help to bridge the gap in the quality of education between the rural and townships schools with those in the cities and towns.
Whilst the IFP is conscious of the fact that mobile classrooms are a quick response to the immediate shortage of classrooms, we feel that the provision of brick and mortar classrooms could have saved the Department millions of rands. The lifespan of a mobile classroom is very short. Mobile classrooms are also easily vandalised when there are break-ins at schools. The IFP appeals to the Department to begin to prioritise building proper classrooms instead of resorting to providing mobile classrooms to schools. This kind of expenditure does not reflect a government that is concerned about the hard-earned, yet meagre financial resources that tax-payers provide for government coffers. KwaZulu-Natal needs a government that cares, not a government that just spends carelessly.
To minimise these costs, where mobile classrooms have been replaced with brick and mortar buildings, the mobile classrooms should be quickly relocated to other schools in need, instead of buying new mobile classrooms.
Contact:
Hon. Mntomuhle B Khawula
KZN Education Portfolio Committee Member
071 207 9445
ISITATIMENDE SABEZINDABA
OKUSHAQISAYO NGEMALI EKHOKHWA NGUMNYANGO WEZEMFUNDO NGAMAKILASI ANGOMAHAMBA NENDLWANA
Iqembu leNkatha Yenkululeko KwaZulu Natali lishaqekile ngemali ebomvu echithwa umnyango wezemfundo KwaZulu Natali ngamakilasi angomahamba nendlwana ezikoleni kusukela ngonyaka ka-2016.
Kwimpendulo enikezwe ngumnyango embuzweni kaMhlonishwa uMntomuhle B Khawula weIFP, awubuze uMhlonishwa uNgqogqoshe wezemfundo KwaZulu Natali ukuthi mangaki amakilasi angomahamba nendlwana esandleni somnyango ngokwezifunda, umnyango unikeze lemininingwane elandelayo.
Umnyango wezemfundo KwaZulu Natali unamakilasi angomahamba nendlwana ayizinkulumgwane ezi-2849 esewonke. Lamakilasi abiwe kanje ngokwezifunda; Isifunda iZululand ayi-522, kulandele iPinetown ngayi-457, kuze Ugu ngayi-357, Umkhanyakude ngayi-303. Ezinye izifunda kube Umzinyathi ngayi-278, iHarry Gwala ngayi-216, Uthukela ngayi-211, Amajuba ngayi-125, iKing Cetchwayo ngayi-120, Umlazi ngayi-107. Kuvala Umgungundlovu ngayi-98 kanye nesifunda Ilembe ngayi-55.
Umbuzo uqhubekile ucela impendulo mayelana nezindleko ezikhokhwa umnyango ukuthenga ikilasi ngalinye elingumahamba nendlwana. Umnyango uphendule wathi ikilasi ngalinye elingumahamba nendlwana libiza imali engu-R230 000,00 yezinkulungwane. Lokhu kukhomba ukuthi kusuka ngonyaka ka-2016, umnyango wezemfuno KwaZulu Natali usukhokhe inkece eyizigidi ezingama-R655 270 000 ngalamakilasi esewonke. Amaningi alamakilasi kuzoqapheleka ukuba asemalokishini kanye nasezikoleni ezisemakhaya. Lesisimo kasilithuthukisi neze izinga lemfundo yethu esifundazweni, futhi kasilinciphisi neze igebe lokusalela ngemuva ngezinga lemfundo kwezikole zasemakhaya nezisemalokishini kulezo ezisemadolobheni.
Nakuba iQembu leNkatha Yenkululeko likuqonda kahle kamhlophe ukuthi amakilasi angomahamba nendlwana asuke eyimpendulo yesidingo esiphuthumayo sokushoda kwamakilasi, nokho libona kungakuhle ukuba isidingo samakilasi sikhathulwe ngokuba kwakhiwe kakhulu amakilasi ezikoleni kunokuba kuqhakambiswe omahamba nendlwana, lokhu okungaholela ekubeni umnyango uhlenge inkece eningi kakhulu. Impilo yekilasi elingumahamba nendlwana imfishane kakhulu. Uma izigilamkhuba zigqekeza izikole, zikufumanisa kulula kakhulu ukucekela phansi indlu engumahamba nendlwana kunaleyo eyisakhiwo.
Iqembu leNkatha Yenkululeko liyanxusa umnyango ukuba uqhakambise kakhulu ukwakhiwa kwamakilasi kunokusabalalisa omahamba nendlwana ezikoleni. Loluhlobo lokusetshenziswa kwemali kalukhombi ukuba nohulumeni onozwelo kubakhokhintela ngenkece abayisebenza kanzima engena esikhwameni sikahulumeni. Isifundazwe iKwaZulu Natali sidinga ukuba nohlobo lukahulumeni obakhathalelayo abantu bawo, hayi uhulumeni osaphaza noma kanjani.
Ukuze kuncishiswe izindleko zesidingo samakilasi athengwa njalo angomahamba nendlwana, kufanele uma kunesikole ebekade sinikwe omahamba nendlwana ngoba sakhiwa, uma sesiqediwe kuphuthunyiswe ukuba bahanjiswe kwesinye isikole esinesidingo. Akufanele amakilasi angomahamba nendlwana aduve esikoleni esisodwa isikhathi eside (iminyakanyaka) noma isidingo sesingasekho. Lokhu kungenza kunciphe isidingo sokuthenga njalo.
Kuyaphela.
Kungathintwa: uMhlonishwa Mntomuhle B Khawula: Ilungu lekomiti lezemfundo KwisiShayamthetho KwaZulu Natali.
Inombolo : 071 207 9445
