Gwarube says dept welcomes partnerships to address school pupils' needs
She was responding to questions around the rollout of mobile school desks, which can be used as bags, for children in the Western and Eastern Cape.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube. Picture: @The_DSD/X
CAPE TOWN - Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says her department will be increasing partnerships with business to address the needs of the country’s school pupils.
She was responding to questions around the rollout of mobile school desks for children in the Western and Eastern Cape.
The desks are fitted with a solar light and USB charging ports fold to create a book bag for learners to take home at the end of the school day.
The bags weigh 2kg and many on social media expressed concern at the weight for learners who must travel long distances to school. Others asked why the learners were not using proper school desks.
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Gwarube said the department is under a lot of financial pressure.
“In a financially constraint environment we are relying more and more on corporate partners to help us to be able to meet the needs of the 13 and half million learners.”
Gwarube, who was attending the basic education lekgotla in Gauteng on Friday, added that corporate partnerships were welcome.
“And to say yes, we are welcoming corporate partners to come and partner with us but to what extent can corporate partners really brand some of the things that come into our schools.”