Parliament’s basic education portfolio committee has rejected a progress report submitted by the Mpumalanga department of education and ordered the province to present evidence that identified problems at eight schools and two early childhood development (ECD) centres have been addressed.
Committee finds report insufficient
Members said the province’s response to recommendations made after an April oversight visit to schools in the Ehlanzeni and Bohlabela districts was “vague, unsupported and did not show whether conditions” had improved. The committee’s decision followed presentations and exchanges on the report during a meeting on Tuesday.
Committee chair Joy Maimela criticised the timing and completeness of the documents submitted by the provincial department. She said the committee had received the department’s report and six attachments only the Thursday before the meeting, with an updated version arriving on the morning of the meeting — well short of the procedural requirement that documents be supplied at least seven working days in advance.
“The committee received Mpumalanga’s report and six attachments only last Thursday, with an updated version arriving on Tuesday morning before the meeting.”
Problems identified during oversight visit
The committee’s April oversight visit highlighted several ongoing issues at schools and ECD centres, including:
- unreliable water supplies;
- overcrowded classrooms;
- sanitation and maintenance backlogs;
- unsafe infrastructure;
- shortages of specialist staff and assistive devices at special-needs schools.
MPs said the province had failed to provide evidence that structures intended to manage and track remedial work were in place or functioning, making it impossible for them to establish whether outstanding work was being monitored and completed.
Schools and ECD centres under scrutiny
The committee’s attention focused on the following institutions visited during the oversight exercise:
| Schools | ECD centres |
|---|---|
| Matthews Phosa College | Msholozi Early Bird Day Care Centre |
| Kamagugu Special School | Nkomazi Siphumele Day Care Centre |
| Lekazi Central Secondary | |
| Silindokuhle Special School | |
| Phambanisa Primary School | |
| Nkomazi High School | |
| Mahhushe Agricultural Secondary School | |
| Tsakane Special School |
Deadlines and follow-up
The portfolio committee set specific time frames for the provincial department to complete interventions and to supply verifiable evidence:
- Fill vacant posts within 90 days;
- Address classroom, water and ablution shortages before the end of the third school term and provide documentation proving the work has been done.
Committee members said they would postpone further deliberation to allow the province to redo and substantiate its report. The decision leaves the department with a narrow window to compile documentation, demonstrate operational structures for tracking repairs and staffing, and show tangible improvements at the affected schools.
Why this matters locally
Mpumalanga residents rely on provincial education services for safe learning environments and appropriate support for learners with special needs. Unreliable water and sanitation, overcrowding and insufficient specialist staff undermine teaching and learning and can exacerbate health risks for pupils and educators.
Special-needs schools were singled out for shortages of assistive devices and specialist personnel — gaps that directly affect children with disabilities and their families, and which require targeted, often costlier, interventions.
Next steps for the province
The department must now provide the committee with a revised, evidence-based report showing what has been done since the April visits and how outstanding work is being monitored and completed. The committee’s demand for documentation reflects parliamentary oversight norms intended to ensure provinces are held to account for service delivery.
The timeline set by MPs will test the provincial education department’s ability to mobilise resources, complete repairs and recruit staff in a constrained public sector environment. Parents, school governing bodies and district officials will be watching closely for concrete action ahead of the next parliamentary review.
Reporting on the follow-up and whether the department meets the committee’s deadlines will be essential to establishing whether the identified problems are being resolved for learners across Ehlanzeni and Bohlabela.
