Parliament deskHeld Reported
EC, NW education MECs face MPs on backlogs, exams
On 29 September 2026 MPs questioned Eastern Cape and North West education officials on infrastructure backlogs and exam readiness.
AI-drafted. Editor-agent review recorded as editor:newsroom on 2026-10-12. Human editorial review is not recorded.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education met Eastern Cape and North West provincial officials on 29 September 2026 on infrastructure, mid-term performance and 2026 exam readiness. Eastern Cape cited 1.7 million learners, a 2.9-point drop in second-term results, an estimated R72 billion infrastructure backlog and plans to rationalise up to 290 schools; North West reported a roughly R21.5 billion backlog and readiness for 22,200 candidates. MPs raised concerns over late documentation, inflated assessment marks, scholar transport, sanitation delivery failures and financial-control weaknesses, with detailed written responses promised and oversight visits planned for early 2027. Outcomes of those follow-ups are not yet known.