Durban — The IFP in KwaZulu-Natal has hit Education MEC Mbali Frazer with five questions regarding load shedding during examinations.
The IFP has demanded answers on plans to prevent load shedding during exams.
IFP KZN Education spokesperson Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa called on Frazer to present a detailed plan of the measures currently in place to prevent the disruption of examinations in KZN during load shedding.
Madlopha-Mthethwa said that the 2022 National Senior Certificate final exams will begin on October 31 and continue until December 7.
She said that KZN is grappling with load shedding, with electricity blackouts continuing for several hours each day and night as Eskom battles to keep the lights on.
“Therefore, it is imperative that the KZN MEC for Education restore confidence - for parents and pupils - that examinations will not be disrupted by load shedding. The MEC must present a detailed plan on the contingency measures currently in place to prevent load shedding during examinations. This is non-negotiable, and no excuses will be tolerated,” Madlopha-Mthethwa said.
The IFP demands that the KZN MEC provide answers to the following:
- How many schools in KwaZulu-Natal are exempted from load shedding?
- How many schools in KwaZulu-Natal have been provided with back-up generators?
- How many schools in KwaZulu-Natal have not been provided with back-up generators?
- How many schools in KwaZulu-Natal have made applications seeking approval for the installation of solar panels?
- Is there any budget available for the procurement of back-up generators to be installed at schools?
Madlopha-Mthethwa said that the MEC must answer all the questions because as the political head, the buck stops with her.
“The IFP believes that we are sitting on a ticking time bomb, which will explode in our faces should the KZN Department of Education fail to put proper measures in place to prevent load shedding during exams,” Madlopha-Mthethwa said.
She said that the current spate of load shedding is having an adverse impact on pupils and students at this critical time of the academic year.
“We believe that schools must be treated like establishments such as official residences, which are exempted from load shedding; the electricity supply of schools must be stable,” Madlopha-Mthethwa said.
“The future of our children must not be compromised due to incompetence on the part of ANC deployees who have failed to provide leadership at Eskom.”
Recently, the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on education, Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, noted concerns raised over the potential disruptions to the National Senior Certificate examinations public schools are set to write due to load shedding and uncertainty over electricity supply.
“We note this concern and take it very seriously. We do not want any child to be disadvantaged by the lack of electricity supply, especially during examinations and even preparations for such exams. We call on the authorities to work hand in hand to ensure all our learners receive a fair opportunity to make a success of the upcoming examinations,” Mbinqo-Gigaba said.
Daily News