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Only 260 public schools out of 2059 are connected to the Gauteng Broadband Network (GBN), leaving millions of learners isolated from the internet and creating a new lost generation.

This was revealed in replies to questions asked by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to the MEC of Education, Matome Chiloane and the MEC of e-Government, Bonginkosi Dhlamini.

Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s government is denying our children access to information and digital skills by not connecting the internet to schools. The DA Gauteng demands that Premier Lesufi’s intervention ensures faster connectivity to the GBN.

The 260 schools were connected over the past five financial years. This means that if the current snail’s pace of connectivity were to continue, it would take an additional 34 years to connect all the existing public schools in Gauteng.

This is unacceptable and a massive failure by these MECs.

It is clear from the replies that these departments are shifting the blame and neither wants to take accountability for this catastrophe.

If we are committed to providing the best education for our children, there needs to be a political commitment from MECs to prioritise the connectivity of schools.

There is no reason why all public schools cannot be connected to the internet by the end of this year, if there is political will.

A DA-led provincial government would approach the private sector to fast-track the connection of our schools and bring our children into the 21st century.

Issued by Michael Waters MPL - DA Gauteng Spokesperson for e-Government