Minister Siviwe Gwarube: Launch of Safe Schools App

Speech by Minister Gwarube on the occasion of the Media Launch of the Safe Schools App

Note to Editors: The following address was delivered by the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarub MP, at the launch of the Safe School App. www.safeschools.gov.za

Good afternoon, esteemed members of the media, colleagues, and partners,

It brings me great pleasure to be joined by colleagues from the Department of Basic Education and from Vodacom South Africa to mark an important milestone in our journey to provide safe, dignified, and equitable learning environments for every child in South Africa.

What we are doing here today is a testament to the power of technology, collaboration, and a shared commitment to addressing the challenges facing our education system.

Today, we officially launch the Safe Schools App, a technological solution designed to support the Department of Basic Education in tackling one of the most urgent issues in our schools—the eradication of pit toilets.

The Safe Schools App: A Revolutionary Tool

Programme Director,

The Safe Schools App is more than just an application; it is a bold statement of our resolve to eliminate unsafe sanitation facilities in schools and to do so with transparency, with efficiency, and accountability.

This app has been carefully designed with three key strategic objectives:

1. In the short-term it will give us Real-Time Monitoring of the Eradication of Pit Toilets:
   The app includes a dynamic heatmap that allows us to track the progress of pit toilet eradication projects across the country. This feature ensures that government has access to real-time information about our efforts on the SAFE backlog. It also highlights areas requiring urgent attention, ensuring that indeed no child is left behind.
    
2. In the medium-term this app will allow us to crowdsource Data to Bridge existing information Gaps about pit-toilets in the country: Despite Safe Audit conducted by the Department to identify schools with pit toilets, various stakeholders such as the Human Rights Commission have indicated to me that there exists a possibility that some facilities may have not been originally captured or may have come into existence post the SAFE Backlog Audit. This Safe Schools App empowers communities to report any remaining pit toilets in their areas, helping us to close these gaps and ensure that every school is accounted for.
    
3. In the Long-Term we wish to roll out the use of this app to Monitor Other Key Programmes:
   Beyond sanitation, the app shows potential serve as a key platform to track other critical departmental initiatives, including the National School Nutrition Programme, the rollout of infrastructure projects, and the delivery of learning and teaching materials. By integrating these functions, the app enhances our ability to manage resources effectively and respond swiftly to emerging challenges.

Leveraging Technology for Education

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The launch of the Safe Schools App represents a significant step forward in our strategy to leverage technological partnerships to improve education outcomes in the country.
In today’s world, technology is not just a tool but a necessity. It allows us to enhance accountability, optimize resource allocation, and improve efficiency across the education system.
The Safe Schools App is a prime example of how technology can be harnessed to address societal challenges that seemed too big and too complex for us to resolve.

Through this app, we are embracing the principles of transparency and collaboration. We invite every South African to play a role in ensuring that our schools are safe and dignified spaces for learning. This is what education in a modern democracy should look like—engaged, participatory, and driven by a shared vision for the future.

A Mechanism for Accountability

Accountability is at the heart of the Safe Schools App. By providing a clear and real-time view of progress, the app ensures that everyone involved— government officials, implementing agents, school administrators, and communities—remains focused on achieving the goal of eradicating the backlog of SAFE pit toilets by the 31 March 2025 deadline.

This tool will enable us to identify and respond to delays, to allocate resources where they are needed most, and celebrate successes along the way. It is a game-changer in how we approach infrastructure challenges, and I believe it sets a new standard for accountability and for transparency in public service delivery.

A Bold Priority: Eradicating Pit Toilets

The eradication of pit toilets is not just a technical exercise; it is a moral imperative. It speaks to the dignity, safety, and well-being of children in our schools. It is about ensuring that every learner, regardless of their background or location, has access to toilets that reflect the values of a democratic and inclusive society.

The urgency of this task cannot be overstated. Unsafe sanitation facilities not only compromise the health and safety of learners but also impact their ability to focus on their studies and achieve their full potential.

This app will play a crucial role in helping us achieve this goal of eradicating the backlog of pit toilets, and I call on every South African to join us in this effort.

Acknowledging Partners and Contributors

Colleagues,

None of this would have been possible without the generosity and vision of Vodacom South Africa, which developed and donated the Safe Schools App. Your commitment to social impact and social innovation exemplifies the role that the private sector can play in advancing the national agenda to improve education outcomes in our country. Thank you for stepping up to contribute to this bold priority.

I also want to acknowledge the incredible work of the team at the Department of Basic Education. The dedicate team led by Mr Mpanza that supported the design and testing of this app to ensure that it is fit for purpose and ready to make a difference.

To the Provincial Education Departments, this app is there to augment your work and to shine the light on where the greatest need for suitable sanitation facilities exist in your provinces. We must remember that in terms of Section 12 of the Schools Act, the responsibility for infrastructure delivery in schools rests with the individual Provincial Education Departments, inline with applicable regulations.

To the communities, educators, and school administrators who have consistently raised their voices to highlight the need for safe sanitation facilities, thank you for your advocacy. This app is for you, and we call on you to please use it to alert us of any pit toilets in our school.

Call to Action: Community Engagement

The success of the Safe Schools App depends on the active participation of communities across South Africa. I urge every parent, teacher, and concerned citizen, If you are aware of a school in your area that still has pit toilets, report it through www.safeschools.gov.za

This is a collective effort, and every contribution counts.

By working together, we can ensure that no child has to endure unsafe or undignified learning conditions.

Broadening the Impact

Programme Director,

While today’s focus is on sanitation infrastructure, the Safe Schools App has the potential to transform how we manage and monitor other critical programmes within the education sector. From tracking the delivery of nutritious meals through the National School Nutrition Programme to ensuring the timely distribution of textbooks, this platform can help us to better serve our learners and educators.

This is just the beginning. As we continue to develop and refine the app, I am confident that it will become an indispensable tool for driving systemic improvements across the sector.

Conclusion

Today’s launch is a moment of pride and possibility. It is a reminder of what we can achieve when we come together to address challenges with innovation, determination, and shared purpose.

The Safe Schools App is more than a technological solution—it is a symbol of our commitment to unleashing the creative energies of young people in this country

Thank you.

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