Bhisho has flushed thousands of “ghost pupils” out of the education system, saving R60-million this year.
This was revealed by education MEC Mandla Makupula at the Bhisho legislature recently.
The department embarked on a process to get schools to verify identity documents (IDs), passports and study permit numbers.
Makupula said the aim was to ensure resources were directed to where they were needed most.
There are more than 5000 schools in the Eastern Cape and to date, more than 30000 ghost pupils have been picked up through the verification process. These include 24571 pupils in Grade R, 961 at special schools and 5292 at independent schools.
“We are cleaning the system. By the end of last year, we issued circulars to schools saying resources will be held for children without IDs,” said Makupula, saying it caused a stir in communities. He said the department found that principals had not declared the correct IDs of pupils.
“Principals have been economical with the truth,” he said, adding principals were required to produce a valid ID for each pupil.
“One of the requirements for admission is for a child to produce a birth certificate or ID. For all these years we’ve been lenient. We said the best strategy of defence is to be on the offensive. By the time the first tranche was released to schools in April, we had R60-million .”
Makupula, however, warned that the amount could be reduced if affected schools submitted valid IDs.
The MEC said a lot of dodgy information had started to surface after the department had resolved to take a tough stance against schools.
In one case, the department found shocking information at primary schools of pupils who were born in 1964, and 99000 duplicate IDs of pupils appearing at different schools.
Makupula said principals were required to produce transfer letters, together with IDs, to ascertain the identity of pupils where duplication occurred.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the verification process was ongoing.
He said the department had not decided on the action to be taken against implicated principals.
The department was working closely with the Department of Home Affairs, South African Social Services and the police.
The department started to pick up fictitious IDs through the South African Schools Administration Management System (Sasams), which was introduced in 2011 to flush out “ghost” pupils.
Sasams is, among other things, used to allocate teachers and determine the allocation and transfer of funds to schools.
Eastern Cape education portfolio committee chairman Fundile Gade said the committee was concerned that there were “ghost” pupils in the system though the South African Schools Act required IDs and a parent or guardian to go to a school when a pupil was registering for admission.
“This is a reflection of a collapse of the system.
“We need an urgent rescue plan and organisation reengineering to revamp the education system.”
Gade said the department had contracted Stats SA in 2014 to verify all the pupils in the province.
“It spent R25-million but we still discover that there are ghost pupils in 2016.
“We will be comforted if they are following up on recommendations in that report. A credible government institution would do that.”
Gade said it also revealed that the department was dysfunctional.
“This has serious implications on the declaration of teaching posts and lack of monitoring by officials,” he said.
DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren said it raised questions around a possible collusion between principals and officials.
Attempts were made to get comment from UDM MPL Thando Mpulu, but they were unsuccessful.
30000 ‘ghost pupils’ found - flushing out process ‘saved R60m this year’
This was revealed by education MEC Mandla Makupula at the Bhisho legislature recently.
The department embarked on a process to get schools to verify identity documents (IDs), passports and study permit numbers.
Makupula said the aim was to ensure resources were directed to where they were needed most.
There are more than 5000 schools in the Eastern Cape and to date, more than 30000 ghost pupils have been picked up through the verification process. These include 24571 pupils in Grade R, 961 at special schools and 5292 at independent schools.
“We are cleaning the system. By the end of last year, we issued circulars to schools saying resources will be held for children without IDs,” said Makupula, saying it caused a stir in communities. He said the department found that principals had not declared the correct IDs of pupils.
“Principals have been economical with the truth,” he said, adding principals were required to produce a valid ID for each pupil.
“One of the requirements for admission is for a child to produce a birth certificate or ID. For all these years we’ve been lenient. We said the best strategy of defence is to be on the offensive. By the time the first tranche was released to schools in April, we had R60-million .”
Makupula, however, warned that the amount could be reduced if affected schools submitted valid IDs.
The MEC said a lot of dodgy information had started to surface after the department had resolved to take a tough stance against schools.
In one case, the department found shocking information at primary schools of pupils who were born in 1964, and 99000 duplicate IDs of pupils appearing at different schools.
Makupula said principals were required to produce transfer letters, together with IDs, to ascertain the identity of pupils where duplication occurred.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the verification process was ongoing.
He said the department had not decided on the action to be taken against implicated principals.
The department was working closely with the Department of Home Affairs, South African Social Services and the police.
The department started to pick up fictitious IDs through the South African Schools Administration Management System (Sasams), which was introduced in 2011 to flush out “ghost” pupils.
Sasams is, among other things, used to allocate teachers and determine the allocation and transfer of funds to schools.
Eastern Cape education portfolio committee chairman Fundile Gade said the committee was concerned that there were “ghost” pupils in the system though the South African Schools Act required IDs and a parent or guardian to go to a school when a pupil was registering for admission.
“This is a reflection of a collapse of the system.
“We need an urgent rescue plan and organisation reengineering to revamp the education system.”
Gade said the department had contracted Stats SA in 2014 to verify all the pupils in the province.
“It spent R25-million but we still discover that there are ghost pupils in 2016.
“We will be comforted if they are following up on recommendations in that report. A credible government institution would do that.”
Gade said it also revealed that the department was dysfunctional.
“This has serious implications on the declaration of teaching posts and lack of monitoring by officials,” he said.
DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren said it raised questions around a possible collusion between principals and officials.
Attempts were made to get comment from UDM MPL Thando Mpulu, but they were unsuccessful.
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