The quality of education infrastructure is one of the most important factors in creating an environment that is conducive to high-quality learning and teaching, as many if not all building-related factors influence the safety and wellbeing of its occupants.

Therefore, appropriate infrastructure that meets both the current and long-term needs of learners, teachers and staff in terms of safe buildings, sizeable classrooms, sanitation facilities, laboratories and equipment are crucial elements of learning environments in schools.

According to educational experts, equally critical factors that relate to the health and safety of learners and teachers in schools are potable water, fire safety, adequate lavatories, security systems and a good communication system to use in emergencies.

There is widespread consensus in research literature that investments in appropriate and safe school infrastructure and the physical conditions for learning are not a luxury, but a necessity.

In fact, investing in the improvement of school infrastructure affects the quality of education through at least three dimensions:

• Attendance and completion of academic cycles: several studies have found that the physical condition of school buildings positively affects school completion and cycle completion rates, and also increases learner registration;
• Teacher motivation: studies show that teachers in schools with good infrastructure have about 10% less absenteeism than teachers in schools with dilapidated infrastructure. The studies have further found that high quality, safe and sanitary infrastructure had a greater effect in reducing teacher absenteeism than teacher salaries or the administrative tolerance for absences; and
• Learning results: studies have found a correlation between safe and sanitary school infrastructure and higher standardised test results that measure learning processes.

When the 2021 matric results were released, Education Minister Angie Motshekga presented herself as pleasantly surprised with the outcomes. However, the “high” matric pass rate concealed a staggeringly low learner retention rate — among older learners the school dropout rate is particularly concerning as only about half of the children enrolled in Grade 1 actually make it to Grade 12 within the minimum period of 12 years.

Much of this can be attributed to factors that include, but are not limited to, severe shortages in reading and learning materials, overcrowded classes, regularly absent teachers, unqualified teachers, highly inadequate and unsanitary facilities and dilapidated infrastructure in schools in rural and peri-urban areas.

Department has failed miserably

In an attempt to address this crisis, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) introduced legally binding regulations for all public schools in 2013, and set designated targets by when the expectations of the regulations had to be met — but the department has failed miserably.

The high number of schools that fall short of the expectations of the Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure Act is a testament to an overwhelming number of schools in rural and peri-urban areas that are not adequately equipped to deliver healthy and safe learning environments.

This became even more apparent when more than 1,000 South African schools were unable to open when Covid restrictions were lifted due to a lack of access to water, proper infrastructure or safe sanitation facilities.

The management of water and moisture has a major impact on creating safe learning environments. A worldwide study by the UNDP in 2006 found that children lose 443 million school days each year because of water-related illnesses, of which 272 million are lost due to diarrhoea alone. More than 40% of diarrhoea cases among schoolchildren are the result of transmission in schools rather than in their homes.

Pit latrines

This becomes particularly concerning given that, due to the failure of the DBE, thousands of schools in South Africa still have pit latrines, despite the department’s legal obligation to address this issue.

The fact that school infrastructure in South Africa remains such a significant barrier in spaces where learners are already contending with socioeconomic challenges outside the school space, is a disgrace.

Well-run and maintained schools, in which young people feel safe to learn, can improve their chances of completing school, even when they are disadvantaged by challenging home environments.

The DA works innovatively with all schools and partners in government, the private sector and civil society to ensure that all available resources are used to improve access to quality education, especially in our poorest communities.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

As one of a number of innovations aimed at improving education quality, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has partnered with a group of donor foundations to launch a new pilot: the Collaboration Schools Pilot Programme.

The programme introduces “Collaboration Schools” — a new type of public school partnered with an experienced non-profit school support organisation called an “operating partner”. The WCED oversees school performance and holds the school and operating partner to account as part of the public education system.

The pilot aims to give school operating partners and school leaders the required additional resources and management flexibility to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the educational environment.

School operating partners will offer intensive support to teachers and principals through training, additional resources, performance monitoring and regular feedback. The overall aim is to substantially improve educational outcomes for learners in these schools.

Excellent example

Gerwel Technical High School in Bonnievale serves as an excellent example of a success story in this regard.

Bonnievale is a small Boland community nestled between the beautiful winelands and mountains of the Western Cape. The community is, however, plagued by alcohol-fuelled violence, broken homes, drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancies and very few schooling opportunities. The community, local businessmen and the WCED banded together to change this.

Out of a dire situation they built a new school. All parties committed from the start to the above-mentioned collaboration school model to help fund the school. The WCED committed to cover 40% of the building costs and the community had to find the balance.

Together, the government and the private sector found a pragmatic solution to change the lives of children and inspire hope in a community. DM