Minister Siviwe Gwarube reaffirmed the DBE’s commitment to educational justice through a strategic oversight visit to Pellsrus Primary School in Jeffrey’s Bay, followed by a school safety engagement at Humansdorp Senior Secondary School on 17 November 2025. These interventions ensure that every learner has access to school environments that are not only functional but dignified, secure, and conducive to holistic development. Advancing infrastructure equity as a Human Rights Imperative, the visit to Pellsrus Primary School centred on addressing constraints that had previously impeded progress on critical sanitation upgrades.

Minister Gwarube engaged the newly appointed service provider entrusted with accelerating work under the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) Initiative, a programme that positions sanitation not as a peripheral concern, but as a cornerstone of inclusive education and a fundamental human right. Her structured inspection of priority infrastructure areas sought to ensure adherence to revised timelines and guarantees that learners would soon access safe, dignified, and compliant sanitation facilities. In her address, the Minister underscored the urgency of advancing school sanitation, noting that whilst the province continues to navigate longstanding infrastructure backlogs, accountability from service providers remains non-negotiable. Minister Gwarube emphasised that the visit, taking place ahead of World Toilet Day, reflects government’s commitment to resolving historical challenges and accelerating delivery of essential sanitation improvements, an effort aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).

Following the engagement in Jeffrey’s Bay, Minister Gwarube proceeded to Humansdorp Senior Secondary School, where she led a comprehensive school safety briefing with the School Management Team, educators, and community representatives. This session involved a systematic review of school safety policies, reporting systems, and compliance documentation to ensure alignment with the National School Safety Framework and related departmental prescripts. The engagement formed part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to strengthening secure and well-governed learning environments. In her discussions with school leadership and community stakeholders, the Minister highlighted that school safety is not merely a compliance exercise, but a shared social contract shaped by the collective efforts of families, neighbourhoods, faith structures, and community networks. Acknowledging the trauma caused by recent incidents of violence, she urged the school to view this moment as a turning point calling for unity, restorative leadership, and deepened collaboration with parents, the School Governing Body, and policing partners.

The Minister’s engagement concluded with a review of the school’s safety measures, followed by the signing of the Anti-Bullying Pledge by learners, an affirmation of shared responsibility, respect, and protection. Through these visits, Minister Gwarube reinforced the Department’s focus on resilient infrastructure and secure learning spaces as essential foundations for a fair and high-quality education system. Her call to action resonates beyond the Eastern Cape, challenging stakeholders nationwide to accelerate delivery and deepen partnerships for a future where every child learns in safety and dignity.