In May, the North Gauteng High Court ruled that government schools should be exempt from loadshedding. While the severity of loadshedding has been reduced, Eskom cautions that any significant changes in the power system can occur at any time.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) said the court order is against the Minister of Public Enterprises, and not against the Minister of Basic Education. It is therefore not the responsibility of the DBE to ensure the uninterrupted supply of electricity to schools.
DBE Minister Angie Motshekga was asked in parliament which contingency plans have been put in place to provide schools with backup power supply.
Motshekga informed members of parliament that schools are provided with basic electricity, as per the Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure.
The minister said that if schools require additional electricity supply to implement contingency plans, they are required to use their Norms and Standards for School Funding allocations.
Additionally, schools may request additional resources from their respective provincial education departments.
Loadshedding has a detrimental effect on learners and teaching at schools around the country. Some experts argued that the constant power cuts make teaching impossible.
Eskom implements a rotational loadshedding schedule, which intends to ensure that the impact of loadshedding is spread evenly across the country.
As higher stages of loadshedding are implemented, teachers have fewer hours of electricity availability, which is negatively impacting learning at schools.
Stage 3 loadshedding is currently being implemented between 4pm and midnight daily. Loadshedding is suspended during the day. Eskom says the reduction in loadshedding was due to an improvement in generation capacity. They also thanked South Africans who continue to use electricity sparingly and efficiently, including switching of their geysers during the evening peak.
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