KZN'S EDUCATION SYSTEM IN CRISIS

THE education system in KwaZulu-Natal is facing daunting challenges as the KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association (PA) voices its concerns over what it describes as a state of disarray within the province's Department of Education.

- SIPHO JACK

PA Chairperson Vee Gani highlighted that education serves as the cornerstone of any society, emphasising that the future of the nation rests on the shoulders of its learners.

The Parents Association is an organisation that seeks to protect the rights of learners and parents, as well as School Governing Bodies (SGB), to ensure a better quality of education for all.

Gani said the alarming condition of schools across the province has left many questioning how quality education can be achieved when the department operates in crisis mode.

He stated, "It has been happening for a while now. Our schools have been suffering, and the responsibility has been put squarely on the shoulders of Principals and School Governing Bodies (SGBs)."

The PA's Chairperson went on to lament the deteriorating state of school infrastructure, the lack of educational resources, and insufficient personnel, all exacerbated by high unemployment rates and poor recovery of school fees.

"These issues have made some schools dysfunctional," he added.

These concerns were echoed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesperson, Sakhile Mngadi, who expressed alarm over the department's chronic underfunding of schools.