The Eastern Cape Department of Education has inherited six different education departments with two of them located within two former homelands, namely, Ciskei and Transkei. The department serves 6 447 schools of which almost 60% are rural and farm schools. According to the records of the department, the survey of the needs done in 1996 has revealed that it is worst off when it comes to physical infrastructure, as the majority of the rural schools are mud structures with no toilets or sanitation, fencing, water and electricity. The survey revealed the following statistics for the province: