Cape Town - Advocacy group Equal Education (EE) has slammed the Department of Basic Education for underspending more than R800 million of a grant which is aimed at easing the infrastructure backlog at schools.
EE said the department and the national Treasury had presented their 2015/16 fourth quarter results and 2016/17 first quarter results to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education and the Standing Committee on Appropriations respectively.
“These results reveal that there has once again been severe underspending of the Asidi (Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative) grant, despite the first Norms and Standards deadline looming.
“By November 29 of this year all schools built of inappropriate materials ought to be eradicated, and all schools ought to be supplied with water, sanitation and electricity.”
EE said it was concerned with the department’s slow pace in spending the grant, and the subsequent decrease in funds allocated to the grant by the Treasury.
“In its presentation to Parliament, Treasury conceded that underspending of this grant has been a problem since its inception in 2011/12. As a result, budget allocations have been decreased to align with spending. Not only did the Asidi programme receive R413.6m less over the medium term as stated by then finance minister Nhlanhla Nene in his 2015/16 budget speech, but, as reported by the Treasury, the Department of Basic Education underspent on Asidi by a further R423.4m last year. That is therefore a collective loss’ of R830m to this grant - and an R830m loss to eradicating dangerous, dysfunctional school infrastructure - due to poor administration and a lack of focused implementation.”
It said it was “glaringly clear” that the department would not meet the Norms and Standards deadline of November 29.
“Underspending on infrastructure forces learners in the greatest need to continue attending schools that are sub-standard, without safe spaces for learning or access to the basic services that the constitution of this country promises them.”
The department said the initiative had resulted in the completion of just over 170 schools out of a targeted 510 around the country, with 126 of them situated in the Eastern Cape.
“Provincial education departments continue to deliver services such as water, sanitation, electricity and other resources through the Education Infrastructure Grant... progress is being made to address infrastructure challenges,” it said.
Cape Argus