Unfulfilled Promises: Eastern Cape Learners March for Infrastructure Upgrades in Schools

The community of Eastern Cape learners, under the organizational wing of Equal Education, has renewed their fervent call for the improvement of school infrastructure across the province. On a crisp Tuesday, a throng of learners directed their footsteps to the offices of the Eastern Cape Education Department in Zwelitsha, carrying the weight of neglected promises and insufficient progress.

The palpable essence of the demonstration was to advocate for the actualization of the norms and standards for basic education infrastructure—a covenant signed into law a decade ago, yet largely unmet. Itumeleng Mothlabane, the determined head of youth organizing at Equal Education, voiced the discontent echoing through the corridors of many underserved schools.

The Norms and Standards law encompasses clear deadlines for upgrading the public school facilities, setting benchmarks intended to foster an environment conducive to learning and growth. The law dictates that by the end of 2020, all public schools should have seen significant improvements, including adequate classrooms, sanitation, fencing, and digital connectivity. The second phase, expected to be completed by November 2023, includes the provision of libraries and laboratories, while the final stretch aimed for 2030, envisages schools equipped with halls, sports fields, and comprehensive infrastructure.

Mothlabane's statement revealed a stark reality: over 500 schools in the Eastern Cape are bereft of even the most basic sanitary provisions. The outcry from learners and organizers alike labels this situation as nothing short of criminal, casting a harsh spotlight on the MEC and Minister's responsibilities.

The list of demands meticulously articulated by Equal Education has been met with assurances of a response from officials in the Education MEC Fundile Gade's office, with a 14-day window for reply. Among the crowd, voices like that of Lisakhanya Mohlomi from Forbes Grand High School resonated with hope and a tinge of desperation, stressing the debilitating effects of classroom overcrowding on their education.

In a convoluted web of financial priorities and misallocation, last week's report from Finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko that R62 million had been earmarked for the department to meet public sector wage obligations brought both hope and skepticism. The same department's history of returning unspent funds, to the tune of over R200 million to the National Treasury, raises questions about bureaucratic efficiency and the true prioritization of education.

As the world of podcasts, digital TV programs, and motoring expanses capture the headlines, learners in the Eastern Cape remain steadfast in their quest for a more tangible reality: the realization of a long-overdue promise for quality education through improved infrastructure.