Education
With regard to the claim of the Western Cape Commissioner for Children, Christina Nomdo, that “I heard today of children who walk 5 km to learner transport pick-up points”:
(1) Whether her Department knows how many children walk 5 km to learner transport pick-up points; if so, what are the relevant details; if not;
(2) whether her Department will investigate to determine the number; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether the Department will consider some innovative and cost-effective measures to assist the learners who walk 5 km to learner transport pick-up points and/or to schools in the province; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(1) The WCED has not received any reports of this nature during the past 10 years.
Schools and the relevant district officials consider the distances that learners must walk to pick-up points before submitting a learner transport application.
Where there are instances where learners would need to walk longer distances to pick-up points due to relocation, schools must report this to their education districts so that the applicable existing pick-up point/s can be reviewed. Schools can make applications for additional pick-up points or ask to amend the location of the existing pick-up point/s.
Parents need to inform school principals without delay of instances where learners walk 5 kilometres to a pick-up point.
(2) The department can only investigate these allegations if they are reported to us. As mentioned, none have been reported to the department. The onus is on parents to report this to the school principal so that pick-up points can be reviewed.
(3) Pick-up points can be changed, or new pick-up points can be added to routes if these circumstances are reported. Alternative measures are therefore not necessary.
