By Celani Sikhakhane
- The department removed 201 buses from the road and cancelled dozens of taxi contracts that transport poor children to school.
- Traditional leader Thathezakhe Ngobese warned that the massive transport cuts will force rural learners to drop out and commit crimes.
The KwaZulu-Natal education department has cut its scholar transport budget from over R600-million to R300-million. This decision forces thousands of rural children to walk long distances to school.
Traditional leaders in the province are angry. They say the department is failing poor families.
Inkosi Thathezakhe Ngobese of the kwaKhiphinkunzi Tribal Authority in Nquthu says the government is putting children in danger.
“This shows that our government doesn’t care anymore about the education of our kids,” Ngobese said.
He said the lack of transport will push children to drop out of school and turn to crime.
Ngobese said the government previously closed several rural schools because they did not have enough learners. The government gave the children transport so they would not have to walk far.
He said poor parents cannot afford to pay for private transport now.
Children in Nquthu villages only received transport in 2015 after the Equal Education group took the department to court. A report at the time showed that children walked over 20 kilometres a day.
Many left home as early as 4 am.
Learner transport director Vukani Khumalo said the department has removed 201 buses from a total fleet of 560. He said the department also stopped dozens of taxi contracts.
Khumalo said more than 157,000 learners are currently waiting for transport.
Democratic Alliance provincial transport spokesperson Riona Gokool said the National Treasury must step in with a grant to fix the problem.
She said the second school term is already under way. She warned that the long walk to school will become a permanent and dangerous reality for children.
Pictured above: Children walking to school.
Image source: Democratic Alliance
