The Democratic Alliance in the North West is disgusted that learners at Regomoditswe Primary School in Gelukspan, near Mafikeng, are forced to use dysfunctional toilets that are a health- hazard to the most vulnerable and important demographic group – children.

Therefore, we will write to the MEC for Education Me Wendy Matsemela urging her to conduct an onsite inspection to assess the severity of the issue. She should put in immediate remedial action and report back on her findings so that she may answer for why her department allows learners to be schooled in such unsanitary conditions.

Parents are in uproar as learners have no privacy, the toilets don’t work properly and smells emanate across the school. This obstacle to healthy living and effective learning is unfair to the learners.

The DA believes, in order to improve education, we must create a school environment that is conducive to learning.

The Department of Education is not proactive in identifying and addressing challenges that schools face.

As the department fails to be proactive, there are often violent protests which ends up in parents prohibiting their children from going to school, again hindering their ability to learn. This was seen in Kopela Village near Delareyville.

Instead of establishing a system that deals with the growing deterioration of school facilities, and offering a sound maintenance plan, the Department of Education in the province seems to be in constant crisis management mode.

Me Wendy Matsemela’s department should work pro-actively to identify challenges and properly address them. A good start would be to immediately make provisions to ensure that infrastructure at schools are improved and properly maintained in the province.

The DA requests the MEC to accelerate the process of assisting Regomoditswe Primary School with renovations of the toilets and other dilapidating school buildings.


Where the DA governs schools are properly maintained to create a nurturing and safe environment for learners.

Issued by DA North West