Chairperson, improved quality of basic education requires the education budget to prioritise improved and sustainable services to learners. Every learner matters. This is the DA's education policy, and we proudly pursue this policy whenever we can.
In the Western Cape department of education, under the leadership of MEC Donald Grant, the interests of the learners are put first. [Interjections.] It is evident in their budget priorities. It was therefore encouraging to see that the Gauteng department of education decided to follow this example in their deliberations during last week's summit in Soweto. The quality of education will improve, Minister, if other provinces follow this example. [Interjections.]
The problem, hon Surty, is that ANC-led provinces do not put their learners first. This is especially true in the Eastern Cape, where officials and teacher unions matter most.
I would like to raise today a matter of public importance in this House to illustrate my point. Case 504/10 in the Bisho High Court says ... [Interjections.] ... that there is an agreement between national, provincial and local government to deliver temporary structures and water, desks and chairs by the deadline of 31 March. [Interjections.] All those three spheres of government failed to honour this agreement. It is a shame!
About 1 997 learners, as well as 69 teachers, were shamefully neglected by these authorities when they failed to implement this agreement by 31 March. The temporary classrooms, desks, chairs and water supply to the value of R83,9 million have yet to be delivered. Though the O R Tambo Municipality has, to their credit, provided water tanks, sadly they are without a drop of water and without the hope of a water connection in the near future. [Laughter.] The government has broken its promise to the children.
Ek en die agb Edmund van Vuuren, my kollega in die Oos-Kaapse wetgewer, was in Libode en Ngqeleni, en ons het op 5 en 6 April verlede week die skole besoek. [The hon Edmund van Vuuren, my colleague in the Eastern Cape legislature, and I were in Libode and Ngqeleni, and we visited the schools on 5 and 6 April last week.]
Sompa Primary School, Madwaleni Primary School, hon Surty, Tembeni, Sidanda and Nomandla Primary Schools - we visited those schools, and what we found there was horrendous. I want to recognise that my colleague, hon James, had promised Parliament that we would go and see for ourselves the fulfilment of the agreement of the Bisho High Court. So, we went there.
Ons was daar, en ons het gesien. [We were there and we saw for ourselves.]
Of the schools we visited, Tembeni and Madwaleni were the worst. The broken desks, the muddy floors and the mud structures are all part of a shocking state of affairs which violates the children's rights and their human dignity. [Interjections.] No government should be allowed to cause such suffering and humiliation for its learners. The DA calls on Parliament today to side with the children - the learners - and the applicants in this agreement. Parliament, as the custodian of the Constitution, must take steps to give effect to section 28(2) of the Bill of Rights.
The applicants must take the government back to court to change this agreement into a final court order, so that you can do your work, hon Surty. This must be done urgently to bring immediate relief for the learners in these mud structures. The DA will continue to do oversight and hold government accountable. I thank you. [Applause.]