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The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has yielded to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) pressure to re-evaluate the scholar transport policy. The current policy has proven inadequate in serving our learners, leading to numerous fatal car accidents.

According to media reports, the Gauteng MEC of Education, Matome Chiloane, has acknowledged significant flaws in the current system and has vowed to overhaul it. He plans to start with an imbizo to discuss plans for enhancing the safety of scholar transportation.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has long been calling for a comprehensive review of the policy that will urgently implement strict and enhanced safety measures for scholar transport across the province, ensuring the well-being and safety of our learners.

The DA is proud to have played a role in convincing the Department and its MEC to urgently overhaul the scholar transport system, which has failed our learners and led to many deaths and injuries.

We will closely monitor the situation to ensure that GDE fulfils its commitment. We will be tabling questions at the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine the timelines for completing the policy overhaul.

The DA remains committed to sparing no effort in ensuring the safety and security of our learners, as this is crucial for developing and maintaining their academic focus.

Issued by Sergio Isa Dos Santos MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education