×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Eastern Cape schools scramble for water and books as state goes silent

No help from education department as new academic year looms

Education MEC Fundile Gade is expected to address parliament's standing committee on the Eastern Cape's state of readiness on Thursday. File photo.
Education MEC Fundile Gade is expected to address parliament's standing committee on the Eastern Cape's state of readiness on Thursday. File photo.
Image: MICHAEL PINYANA

Eastern Cape schools are going to extreme lengths to be ready for the reopening of schools on Monday because they have received little to no assistance from the provincial education department.

Fears over a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been realised, despite the department backtracking on an earlier announcement that schools would be expected to procure their own PPE in the first term.

Some representatives DispatchLIVE spoke to on Wednesday said their schools not only had to pay for their own PPE, but for water as well. They said they had done all they could to ensure a safe learning and teaching environment on Monday. But they questioned whether it was enough.

For more on this article, please visit DispatchLIVE.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.