Education
- (a) What are the names of the schools in the province that struggle to raise funds which led to her Department to allow the sale of alcohol during functions at schools, (b) why are these schools struggling to raise funds and (c) what assistance is her Department providing in each case;
whether her Department is also considering allowing the sale of other products, like tobacco, that could assist to generate funds; if not; why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
- (a) A large number of our schools struggle to raise funds. What led to the proposal in the WCPSE Amendment Bill to permit the sale or consumption of alcohol on school premises was the fact that adult functions off school premises are prohibited in terms of the definition of “school activity”, as well as that there are many adults who wish to responsibly consume alcohol at functions on school premises. Schools also hire out premises on occasion to outside organisations or individuals who may wish to serve alcohol, e.g. for weddings or birthday parties. Sometimes schools also wish to have fundraising functions where alcohol is sold or served to adults, either for on-site consumption or, for example, at a wine auction.
(b) I cannot comment on why each school may be struggling with fundraising. The reasons will be school specific.
(c) My department does not assist with fundraising. It is the role of the SGB to do that. Section 36(1) of the South African Schools Act places an onus on the governing body of a public school to take all reasonable measures within its means to supplement the resources supplied by the State, in order to improve the quality of education provided by the school to all learners at the school.
(2) I am not aware of education legislation that prohibits the selling or consumption of tobacco on school premises, as is the case with alcohol.
Hence it must be dealt with in terms of existing other legislation.
