Minister of Education
Question by:
Hon Khalid Sayed
Answered by:
Hon David Maynier
Question Number:
32
Question Body:
- (a) What is the number of health inspectors who are deployed to assist the WCED to conduct health inspections at ECD facilities and (b) what is the detailed breakdown per education district;
- whether there are any delays and/or backlogs for these health inspections at ECD facilities; if so, what are the waiting times to get an inspector to come;
- (a) how often do these health inspections take place at ECD facilities and (b) what has been the price of calling a health inspector in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2021, (iv) 2022 and (v) 2023 to date;
- whether he is aware of complaints from ECD practitioners about (a) long turnaround times and (b) exorbitant costs for calling health inspectors to ECD facilities; if so, what has been his Department’s intervention?
Answer Body:
My department has informed me of the following:
- (a) The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) does not conduct health inspections. Municipalities are the responsible sphere of Government in terms of health compliance at Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities.
The number of health inspectors per municipality will vary.
(b) Please refer to the relevant municipalities/Local Government.
- Please refer to the relevant municipalities/Local Government.
- (a) Please refer to the relevant municipalities/Local Government.
(b) Please refer to the relevant municipalities/Local Government.
(4) (a) We have been informed that many of the complaints are as a result of the inability of the ECD to adhere to the norms and standards as prescribed in the Children’s Act.
(b) We have been informed that the costs differ in each municipality. While there is no cost for health inspectors to visit ECD facilities in the City of Cape Town, there may be costs associated with other municipalities. The various municipalities would need to provide details on the costs.
Date:
Thursday, June 15, 2023
