The Democratic Alliance (DA) is preparing to report the Mpumalanga Department of Education to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) after damning allegations that undocumented learners are denied access to food in schools.
In a recent oversight to Bukhosibetfu Primary School in Nkomazi Local Municipality, the School Governing Body (SGB) informed the Portfolio Committee on Education that out of the 1 344 learners at the school, only 901 had access to the school nutrition grant, and the remaining 443 had no access to the grant because they are undocumented.
It also came to the Democratic Alliance’s attention that 55 learners from Imizamoyethu Primary School in Mkhondo Local Municipality were allegedly denied access to the nutritional grant as well as learning materials because they are undocumented.
Denying learners access to food is heartless and in violation of the National School Nutritional Programme (NSNP) Guidelines. The NSNP Guidelines states clearly that “ALL learners in Quintile 1, 2 and 3 – public primary schools from Grade R to Grade 7, must be provided with daily meals”.
In May 2022, the Head of the Mpumalanga Department (HOD) of Education, Lucy Moyane, sent a circular to all school Principals across the province, informing them that children without the required documents like birth certificates, identity documents, study permits, passports, proof of residence etc, must not be denied admission to school given their constitutional right to education.
If the department’s HOD has instructed School principals to admit undocumented learners as required by the constitution, why are they then denying them access to food in schools? The Department’s action is a gross violation of the rights of these learners as enshrined in Section 28(1)(c) of the South African Constitution. The Section clearly states that “Every child has the right to basic nutrition, shelter, basic health care services and social services.”
Many parents and learners struggle to get birth certificates, study permits, identity documents and passports from home affairs. So, it is unfair that they are denied access to food because they are identified by the department of education as undocumented learners.
How can Mpumalanga Education MEC, Cathy Dlamini, and her department put their teachers and food handlers in such a position to decide which hungry learners can get or cannot get food? As a country we fought hard for equality and human dignity for all. It is of great importance to ensure that we do not teach our learners and teachers in schools that it is acceptable to discriminate against each other based on our country of origin and status.
Although the Legislature adopted the DA motion on Tuesday to revise the policy, the DA believes that SAHRC’s intervention will speed up the process to ensure schools receive nutritional grants as well as learning materials for undocumented learners.
Furthermore, the DA will also write to the National Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, asking him to Launch a Campaign where he will bring Mobile Home Affairs offices in the province to help with papers of all undocumented learners in schools.