Education
With regard to unplaced learners:
(a) What is the backlog in the number of children who are still not placed at schools,
(b) how does his Department come to the decision to place a learner from one region (Cape Metro) in another region (West Coast) without providing learner transport for such a learner and
(c) what are the criteria used by his Department to provide learner transport for learners from one area going to a school or schools that are located in the same direction?
My department has informed me of the following:
(a) As of 14 February 2025, placement is in progress for 189 Grade 1 learners and 597 Grade 8 learners. Of these learners, 691 are late or extremely late applications.
(b) The WCED would need more information be able to respond to the question, i.e. the details of the learner who was allegedly placed in this manner, and the circumstances of their application.
(c) Learner transport is provided to learners who qualify for learner transport according to the department’s Learner Transport Policy, as indicated to the member in the reply to question 6 of 2 March 2023 (held over to sitting of 9 March 2023).
Parents and schools also have the opportunity to appeal a decision on learner transport to the provincial Minister of Education.
