“Learners’ rights to dignity, privacy, equality and a healthy environment are being violated by poor sanitation conditions. With every day that these conditions persist, these rights will continue to be violated,” the report said.
Some things in the province had improved, though.
In 2009, half of the schools in the province had between 18 and 57 learners per toilet. By 2015, it was down to between 11 and 28.
Section27 said there was an urgent need for a new political approach to every policy, budget and practice because the provincial and national basic education department trying to solve the problems have been “incomplete, poorly coordinated and based on inaccurate data”.
Section27 said they were limited in compiling the report by:
- Intimidation by intimidation by provincial officials;
- Principals who were tired from “constantly talking” while seeing no progress; and
- Researchers who were unable to contact principals for “long periods of time”.