Small, unviable rural schools are being merged or shut down as part of the school rationalisation process, which was outlined in the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) draft rural education policy framework.
By emphasising that there were legal requirements it had to follow before closing down a school, the department assured the Committee that such decisions were not made hastily, during a Parliamentary Committee meeting.
However, the framework's viability for implementation has been called into question. In response to these questions, the department stated that it did not abruptly close or combine schools and that the procedure took a long period of time.
They added that since rural schools had always been a part of the educational system, provisions needed to be made to support them and create a national framework for rural education. The document further stated that the South African Schools Act required all children to be admitted to public schools, regardless of their ability to pay the fees.
The rationalisation of schools also meant aligning the misaligned schools to ensure that there were only two types of schools in the country: primary and secondary schools.
Ms M Sukers, an ACDP member of parliament (MP) said that according to the DBE's presentation, a total of 3 255 schools were slated for closure.
The entire procedure took around three years, during which time the MEC would research the trends of that small, failing school. Without holding consultations and giving written notice to every relevant interested party, a school could not be closed.
The rationalisation and closure of schools have the goals of increasing access, raising educational standards, and utilising school resources more quickly and cost-effectively, according to the education department.
The department also pointed out that rationalisation wasn't a way to cut back on schools or a way to deal with poor results. DBE was required by the constitution to provide learners with a high-quality education, and this was one of the issues with the small schools in question.
The Department also took into account a variety of issues while deciding whether to consolidate or close schools, including student enrollment, curriculum considerations, school accessibility, and infrastructure.
