KZN DoE misses the boat on additional funding for learner transport
KwaZulu-Natal, a province which currently needs an additional R4.3 billion in order to provide transport to all learners in need, has missed the boat in applying for additional funding for the forthcoming financial year from the national Department of Basic Education.
According to a reply by the National Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, to a DA parliamentary question, KwaZulu-Natal is one of six provinces that failed to apply for additional funding to cover a combined shortfall of R639 million for school transport.
The province’s Education Department is currently allocating R195 million to this critical mandate with, according to its own figures, approximately 900 000 KwaZulu-Natal learners qualifying for scholar transport. Given the estimated R4.5 billion required to provide a proper service, this leaves a massive shortfall of R4.3 billion.
Given the enormous need for funding, the DA is appalled by this omission which smacks of incompetence on the part of provincial Education MEC, Mthandeni Dlungwane, and his officials. During his Education Budget Vote for 2017/18 in April, KZN Education MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane again lamented the department’s lack of funding in this area. Now, just three months later, a golden opportunity to acquire additional funding has been lost.
The lack of proper learner transport continues to lead to numerous young lives being lost. Unroadworthy and unlicensed vehicles, unlicensed drivers and unscrupulous providers of learner transport have contributed to several major accidents in the province. Some of these include;