R10m sanitation for ECape schools
David Masango
18 June 2004
The Eastern Cape MEC for Education Mkhangeli Matomela on Thursday announced that his department will spend R10-million in the 2004-2005 financial year to provide water and sanitation to schools in the province.
Launching the Rural Schools Sanitation Programme in Mqanduli, Matomela said the government will build 697 toilets in 35 schools to benefit 16 632 learners and 409 educators.
The schools to benefit from the programme are in Lusikisiki, Port St Johns/Libode, Maluti, Bizana, Umtata/Mqanduli, Idutywa and Mount Fletcher.
Matomela said the department has set itself the target of achieving equity in a unified educational sphere by providing adequate physical infrastructure.
He said the departmental budget for the provision and maintenance of educational infrastructure for this financial year had increased to R498-million from R448-million in the previous financial year, which constitutes an 11 percent increase.
Matomela also
said his department has resolved to ensure that "all schools have water and sanitation by 2006 and that all mud structured classrooms and dilapidated ones are refurbished in the shortest time possible".
The MEC said in 1995 there were 1 487 schools with no toilets and 1 972 had no water supply, but to date 597 schools have been provided with toilets, leaving the department with the challenge of improving 890 remaining schools by 2006.
Matomela added that his department has entered into a Service Level Agreement with the Rapid Infrastructure Development Agency, a subsidiary of Coega Development Corporation, to assist in implementing the sanitation programme.
"RIDA has commissioned Mvula Trust, an NGO with ten years' experience in water and sanitation delivery in rural areas, to assist in managing the programme," said Matomela.
According to Matomela, over the past three years, the department's infrastructure programme had created employment opportunities to 9
398 adult men, 6 322 adult women, 6 568 youth males, 4 823 youth females, 975 men with disabilities and 117 women with disabilities throughout the province.
"The Department's minor repair programme in schools continues to create opportunities for small contractors," said Matomela, adding that over 2 000 schools had benefited from the infrastructure programme during the 2003-2004 financial year.
Source: BuaNews
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