South Africa’s Ministry of Basic Education has surpassed a key milestone, successfully eradicating over 93 percent of the identified pit toilets in public schools under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) initiative.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube announced the progress in parliament on Tuesday, marking a significant step toward meeting the government’s goal of eliminating unsafe sanitation in schools by 31 March 2025.
The initiative, launched to address the widespread use of dangerous and unhygienic pit latrines in schools, has long been a priority for South Africa’s education system.
These unsafe facilities have historically posed severe health and safety risks to learners, particularly in under-resourced rural areas.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s directive to eliminate all pit toilets reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity and well-being of schoolchildren.
Gwarube applauded the collaborative efforts of national and provincial education departments, private sector partners and development organisations in fast-tracking the delivery of safer sanitation facilities.
She noted that despite fiscal constraints, the initiative has continued to make measurable progress, demonstrating the resilience and determination of those involved.
While hailing the milestone, the minister announced plans to intensify efforts in the remaining months to ensure the eradication target is fully achieved.
She is expected to conduct site visits over the next few weeks to the Eastern Cape and Limpopo – the two provinces most affected by unsafe sanitation infrastructure – to monitor progress firsthand and engage directly with schools, communities and implementing agents.
The visits would enable the ministry to identify any outstanding challenges and ensure that all remaining projects are completed on time.
She acknowledged the ongoing challenges posed by infrastructure backlogs, budgetary constraints and rising construction costs but reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to making safe and hygienic sanitation a reality for every learner in the country.
JN/APA