Corruption and short-sightedness cost children their education
31 March 2016
The Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal calls for urgent intervention to address the learner transport crisis in the province. Rife corruption in the Education Department and the Transport, as well as short-sightedness in policy addressing the demand for learner transport in KZN, has deprived children of their Constitutional right to education.
The allocation of funds towards learner transport is inadequate to meet the demand for transport by KZN’s needy learners. Every cent that is siphoned off from the Department of Education and the Department of Transport due to maladministration and corruption deprives a child of their right to education; yet, corruption continues unchecked.
Overall, R9.5 billion is allocated to the Department of Transport. Out of this money, only R186 million is allocated to learner transport. On this limited budget, it is impossible to meet the demand of schools that are in dire need of learner transport assistance. At present, 224 schools are accommodated by the Department of Transport, although their strategic target is 316 schools. There are 400 schools which desperately require learner transport. The actual number of learners falls severely short of the mark.
The DA advocates the subsidisation of learner transport as an interim measure to address the shortage in KZN. In peri-urban and rural areas, where learners are required to commute long-distance to school, existing illegal scholar transport, which is often hazardous, continues to operate. For those who are less fortunate, the harsh reality is that where transport is unavailable, education becomes a distant reality.
Given the recent road accidents involving bakkies carrying school children, and the DoT’s talk of clamping down on this “backdoor” transport, it is evident that given the lack of alternative, parents will continue to rely on dubious transport methods. Since the DoT are unable to properly afford or police learner transport, the DA recommends engaging stakeholders such as schools in procuring learner transport.
To cater for the shortage in learner transport in rural areas, schools should be advised to engage with taxi associations and existing transporters in the area to initiate and monitor learner transport. School governing bodies, in conjunction with the road transport inspectorate and licensing bureau, should initiate efforts to legalise “backdoor” learner transport, where the school provides an oversight role as the DoT demonstrates a lack in capacity to do so. The learner transport initiative would benefit from DoT subsidies to cover wear and tear on vehicles transporting learners, ensuring maintenance of vehicles and learner safety.
The short-sightedness with which the DoE and DoT have approached the crisis in learner transport demonstrates a lack of leadership and proper policy formulation. Whilst the incumbent government bungles its way through its mandate, and precious resources are squandered through corruption, children are deprived of their education. It is time that we realise that the leadership we empower today through our vote, are the very same leadership that hold the fate of our children in their hands.
The DA believes that every child deserves the right to an education. It is time to take our responsibility as citizens seriously by voting in the upcoming local government elections (LGE). We can only effect change when leaders who care about their citizens’ well-being are elected. The DA is up to the task. We believe that only quality will allow us to deliver on our vision of Opportunities for all.
Issued by Rafeek Shah, DA KZN Transport Spokesperson, 31 March 2016
