Pretoria - The Western Cape Education Department will over the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) build 25 new schools in the province.
Announcing the department's infrastructure plan for the next three years,
Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant said six schools were under construction and expected to be completed during 2010/2011.
These schools include Tafelberg Elsen, Bongolethu Primary, Cloetesville Primary, Klapmuts Primary, Wallacedene Secondary and Bardale High schools.
Grant said the plan seeks to provide suitable school accommodation for all children from the province through cost effective ways.
"The provision of appropriate school infrastructure is an essential element in providing quality education to all the learners of the Western Cape," Grant said on Monday.
The department will also replace 20 schools that were built with inappropriate materials.
Grant explained that the department will be specifically targeting poorer communities who, as a result of historical neglect, often had to contend with schools that were in a poor condition.
"Some of the schools already have brick and mortar structures on their premises, therefore only a partial replacement of 4-15 classrooms needs to take place," he said, adding that other schools would require more work, with between 16- 36 classrooms being replaced.
He said seven schools were at the initial stages of construction for completion in 2012 with 13 additional schools already identified.
"We will build over 300 new classrooms and over 100 Grade R classrooms, as well as install additional mobile classrooms at schools where overcrowding is most severe."
Approximately 322 additional classrooms will also be built at existing schools to alleviate overcrowding in Grades one to three and expand access to schools with good capacity.
Any savings made during the rollout of the programme, in the construction phase, Grant said will be channelled back into the infrastructure plan.
