Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga has indicated that the infrastructure backlog in schools across the country is R100 billion.
She said, however, the funds that were allocated to upgrade infrastructure were minuscule compared to the need.
The issue of fixing infrastructure in schools has been a sticking point for many years, but Motshekga said they were trying to address it.
Motshekga said their infrastructure backlog plan showed that they would require R100bn to fix infrastructure in schools.
But the funding they have is small compared to the demand. The department would get money for the current financial year from other grants of the department.
“The preliminary estimates of prioritised infrastructure backlogs reflected in the Department of Basic Education’s Maintenance Investment Planner are as follows: Required investment in annual preventive maintenance is about R10 billion a year.
“Required investment in backlog maintenance is about R100bn. The preliminary estimates of available funding are as follows: School infrastructure backlog grant is about R2bn a year for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (R2.078bn, R2.172bn and R2. 269bn). Education infrastructure grant is about R13bn a year,” said Motshekga.
Motshekga said they need to ramp up projects where they want to upgrade school infrastructure.
The minister, who was replying to a written parliamentary question from ANC MP Bafuze Yabo, said in the current financial year the department wants to upgrade classrooms in dilapidated schools, which are also overcrowded.
They will also upgrade water supply and sanitation to meet norms and standards.
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