The Western Cape will get 81 new schools in the next three years, the provincial public works MEC Robin Carlisle said on Thursday.
He said “brand new” schools would replace many school buildings that had fallen into disrepair.
Schools would also be built in areas with rapid population growth.
The total budget for school infrastructure in this period would exceed R3 billion.
“That is an enormous increase on, historically, what has been spent, and it will be a massive boost for the Western Cape economy,” Carlisle said.
The national education department would lend a helping hand in the form of R750m, as part of its “Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative”.
Heated debate had been raised around the recent proposal to close 27 under-performing schools in the province.
Carlisle said there was a process of “building recycling” happening all the time, dependent on various developmental planning factors.
Education MEC Donald Grant emphasised that schools were being shut down to make way for better opportunities.
“(Pupils are) going to a better school, that is better equipped, with better resources,” he said.
“What people do not realise is this is going to be an annual process (of shutting down unproductive or ancient schools)”.
Carlisle estimated that 20 000 jobs would be created in the building of these schools, of which 6 000 would be for youth and 3 000 would be for women. – Sapa