School Community Integration Pilot Project - Department of Education

A comparative analysis of education expenditure in Eastern Cape schools – November 2004
The classroom backlog would increase from 5,954 to 8,023 in the fully realigned
schooling system, an increase of 2,069 classrooms. At a current unit cost of
R125,000 per classroom R259 million would be required. There would also be an
associated though smaller infrastructure requirement for hostels, toilets and other
buildings. It must be realised however that this would be a once off construction cost
whereas post savings would be larger and would continue to accrue in each year.
The additional cost of classroom construction could also be spread over multiple
years and accommodated by reprioritisation of funding towards high schools within
the existing rapidly rising capital budget.
Options for realigning small primary schools were not considered in the analysis.
Primary schools serve younger learners that are less likely to be able to travel longer
distances to school or to stay in hostels. Primary schools are also much more rooted
in particular communities than are secondary schools. A good schooling model
would be:
• Smaller primary schools grades R-7 based in communities close to learners,
bringing the school to the learners.
• Larger high schools grades 8-12 clustered in districts with boarding facilities,
bringing the learners to the school.
Nevertheless there is a further option for realignment that could be investigated,
perhaps at a later date. Junior Primary Schools are a significant presence in the
former Transkei covering up to grades 3 to 4. Many learners are 10 years or older at
this point and could potentially stay in hostels or travel greater distances to school. A
primary school sub-system of small junior primary schools feeding into larger
clustered senior primary schools with hostels bears further investigation.
5.2. Potential criteria for realignment
EMIS has recently prepared a study on the reorganisation of very small schools with
enrolment less than 100. 25 The schools were distributed throughout the province.
The study found 847 schools with less than 100 learners. One significant finding was
that 57% of schools had an adjacent school within 5km that could provide a place to
transfer learners. Clearly there is significant scope for better use of resources by the
realignment of small schools.
The study suggests a series of criteria for realignment of small schools:
• Are there any schools within a 5km radius that can accommodate the small
school?
• Does the school have sufficient classrooms to accommodate the new
learners?
• In what condition is the neighbouring school?
• Can transport be provided for the learners, and if so – what will the costs be?
• What will the social costs be when the small school closes? In a lot of cases
the educators live in the community and attract money to the community
25 EMIS: Preliminary investigative study on reorganisation of schools, August 2004.
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