Basic Education Spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, alongside Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu hosted a media briefing on Thursday, 28 April 2022 to address matters related to the National State of Disaster.
Officials from the Basic Education Department visited 6 schools that have experienced extensive damage due to the recent flood disaster that has devastated parts of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The attendance rate is also reported to have increased to 90%.
Speaking about the impact of the disaster on learners and schools in the province, Mhlanga confirmed that a total of 630 schools have been damaged, and will be fixed through the norms and standards allocation.
Within the above-mentioned total, some have been cut off due to the floods, while a total of 41 schools are scheduled to be repaired by schools.
Furthermore, 263 schools, said to have suffered extensive damage which form part of the second category, are scheduled to be fixed by the district offices in the province.
The Department has also stated that it expects to spend a total amount R444 million based on the damage assessment that it has recently conducted. He further stated that the number of schools that are currently inaccessible has decreased from 101 to 52, a number that is expected to decrease further.
Additionally, there were also 455 learners, who were victims of the floods that the Department of Basic Education had allocated in community centres. The children have also received uniforms and textbooks from the department.
In addition to this, the Minister of Basic Education established a task team from Pretoria that is collaborating closely with the province.
One of the main areas of concentration in curriculum recovery is the restoration of records in schools where all administrative material has been lost.
