Plans to close down nearly 900 non-viable schools under review

THE KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is reviewing plans to close down hundreds of schools that were considered non-viable because of low enrolment numbers.

About 900 schools, many in rural areas, were facing closure.

Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu recently told members of the provincial legislature that the decision to close the schools had been set aside and the department would embark on a review process.

“This matter is dealt with under the programme called Transformation of the Schooling System (TSS), which entails the maximum provision of access to quality basic education through resource provisioning.

“In the previous year, we indicated that more than 900 schools were declared non-viable and were due to be closed. I have since directed that we reassess all these schools to satisfy ourselves that indeed they qualify to be closed through an objective process.

“While the process of reassessment is still under way, I can report that we have taken a decision that so far 18 schools do not qualify to be closed and therefore should be reopened and remodelled,” he said.

Mshengu said the department could not afford to close schools while there was pressure to build more.

“The reality of the situation is that there are schools that are currently not viable, and something has to be done about them as speedily as possible. There are schools that will be closed down because they have been abandoned by their communities.”

He said the department had changed its model for building new schools, saying they were focusing on building schools for the future.

He said every new school to be built should, among other things, have a media centre/computer room, a library, science laboratory, quality sports fields and properly defined subject combinations. “We will no longer build schools that are just walls and chalk boards.

“Going forward, it should be possible to find a school in rural and township areas which corresponds in great material terms with historically advantaged schools – if not better.”

Mshengu said about 10 such schools were being built across the province at a cost of hundreds of millions of rand.

The department was also planning to replace mobile classrooms in some schools with proper classrooms.

The department had already identified about seven schools that would have new rooms built.

The move to halt the closure of non-viable schools was welcomed by opposition parties.

DA MPL and education spokesperson Imran Keeka said they welcomed the announcement to review the closure of these schools as they could provide much-needed space to comply with physical distancing rules.

IFP MPL Thembeni KaMadlopha-Mthethwa said they supported the review of the decision to close schools.

“Many of these schools are very close to communities and closing schools should be a last resort.

“But we do also know that there are some schools that are on their last legs.”