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IN SUMMARY: OPINION By Siya Mviko
Dropout Crisis: 80 learners from Gwebityala Senior Secondary School in Elliotdale, Eastern Cape, dropped out after their scholar transport was cancelled. These students had to walk 24 kilometers to school, leading to safety concerns and poor attendance.
Transport and Budget Issues: Budget cuts have reduced the number of learners receiving transport from 124,247 in 2020 to 87,000 in 2021. In 2023, only 90,000 learners were provided transport, leaving 50,000 without support. The province returned R2.2 billion to the national Treasury, despite having significant unmet needs, especially in infrastructure and education.
Educational Impact: Over 1,000 schools in the Eastern Cape may close due to low enrollment, worsening the education crisis. The lack of transport is a significant factor in the high dropout rates in the province.
Parental Concerns: Parents expressed safety concerns, as children walk through forests and cross rivers, risking violence, including rape and murder. Some children were forced to drop out even during their mid-year exams due to these difficulties.
PMG Meeting Insights: The Parliamentary Monitoring Group highlighted that many learners are forced to drop out if no schools are nearby. The meeting emphasized the need for more secondary schools in rural areas and better infrastructure to support education.
- “Learners were forced to drop out if no schools were nearby. A shortage of schools in communities remained problematic.”
- “The more progressive thing to do would be to provide scholar transport and, for the long term, fix road infrastructure and other features such as bridges.”
