Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has said it is ready for the 2024 academic year which starts on Wednesday despite recent storms and floods that damaged school infrastructure in 59 schools.
This was according to a statement issued by the KZN Department of Education on Sunday morning.
The department said that the ultimate responsibility of the department is to ensure the provision of an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.
“Recent storms and floods caused severe damage to school infrastructure, where 59 schools in nine of the 12 districts were affected,” the department said.
“The department has put in place various measures to ensure that affected schools are provided with interim measures which include mobile classrooms, mobile ablution facilities and dislodging of existing ablution facilities.”
The department added that service providers to render these services have been appointed and work has commenced.
On the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) front, the department said that the department has put systems in place to ensure that the NSNP commences in earnest on Wednesday when schools open.
Last year, the NSNP collapsed in KZN, leading to thousands of children who depend on the programme not receiving food for weeks.
The department said the NSNP and all other education services will start on Wednesday when pupils return to school.
“The 1 747 appointed service providers, who are currently in their second year of contract, are ready to start the supply and delivery of food items to schools from tomorrow, Monday, January 15, 2024. This will ensure that all schools are able to provide meals to the learners on their first day of school,” the department said.
It said it is working with service providers to ensure sufficient supplies for all 11 feeding days in January.
Additionally, the NSNP has created 16 114 job opportunities comprising 14 868 volunteer food handlers and 1 246 chief food handlers.
“Volunteer food handlers and chief food handlers will be in schools from tomorrow (Monday) to make the necessary preparations for the cooking to take place on the first day of school throughout all 5 436 participating schools across all 12 districts,” the department said.
“Once again this year, we urge all the stakeholders and role-players in the education sector to work with us in our spirited quest for the provision of accessible and quality education,” said KZN Education MEC Mbali Frazer.
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