KZN calls for intervention on the disconnection of electricity at schools in Phoenix and it environs.

Following the disconnection of electricity at multiple schools in Phoenix and other areas of eThekwini, the Democratic Alliance in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has urged Education MEC, Kwazi Mshengu, to act quickly.

Schools apparently honoring their financial agreements with the eThekwini Municipality is one of the disconnections.

IT IS REPORTED THAT ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY IS DISCONNECTING SCHOOLS

The DA stated that increasing unemployment following the Covid-19 lockdown, as well as rising food, gasoline, and transportation prices, had made it even more difficult for many schools to pay their municipal rates accounts due to declining school fee contributions.

The party claimed that despite the fact that student demographic profiles demonstrate that they come from highly disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances, the schools are currently rated in quintile 5, which means they receive dramatically reduced financing from the Department of Education.

“The DA has encouraged MEC Mshengu to quickly engage with eThekwini’s leadership, collaborate with COGTA MEC Sipho Hlomuka, and cease disconnecting schools that are adhering to payment agreements.

The DoE should consider negotiating with the Metro and other municipalities to offer comparable special rates to these schools in view of their circumstances, even though we realize that municipal rates bills must be paid.

There are reductions for destitute households.

DA

The party added that one can only hope that the anxiety of parents whose children are compelled to attend schools without electricity won’t boil out onto the streets and have an impact on the quality and appropriate delivery of the curriculum.

AN INCREASE IN UNQUALIFIED TEACHERS IN KZN

According to data from the KZN) Department of Education, there were 215 less-qualified teachers working in classrooms in May 2022 compared to the previous year.

In responses to parliamentary inquiries, the department stated that it had just 215 untrained teachers in February 2020, but that number had more than tenfold climbed to 2810 by May 2022.

The KZN Education response also revealed that the following regions are most severely impacted by unqualified teachers:

• 357 unqualified educators in Zululand

King Cetshwayo has 325 points.

• UThukela (281);

• Umgungundlovu, who has 270;

With 267, Pinetown.