There are no toilets  at a school servicing 250 learners outside East London in the Eastern Cape, a DA site-visit has found.

The Education Department told teachers and parents who complained that they should lessen the number of school hours so that toilets won’t be necessary.

The DA’s consultations with the school community have also found that the service provider responsible for the toilets withdrew because the Department hasn’t paid them for two years.

Bulugha Primary School services Grade 1 and 2 learners between 7 and 8 years old.

Is there anything more cold-hearted than to ask children to choose between a toilet and a full day of schooling?

The DA calls on Education MEC Mandla Makupula to install toilets at the school immediately.

The heartless treatment these children are receiving is a sign of a deep values crisis in the Eastern Cape Education Department.

The DA will continue to monitor the situation until the school gets the basic services they need for teaching and learning.