A review of school infrastructure spending and delivery
South Africa’s commitment to the right to basic education has long been undermined by unsafe and inadequate school buildings, especially in the Eastern Cape where thousands of learners have been forced to study in dilapidated “mud schools.” Commissioned by the Centre for Child Law, the Mud to Bricks report (researched and written by Cornerstone Economic Research) provides an in-depth review of government’s infrastructure spending and delivery following the landmark 2011 court settlement. In that settlement, the Department of Basic Education pledged R8.2 billion to eradicate mud schools and address infrastructure backlogs across the country.
The report carefully traces how this commitment was structured through the creation of the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant (SIBG) and the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG). While significant funds were allocated, Cornerstone’s analysis reveals persistent bottlenecks: chronic underspending by the DBE, weak planning and capacity at provincial level, and delays in delivery. In some years, spending on the backlog grant was as low as 10%, raising real concerns about the Department’s ability to translate budgets into classrooms. The study also highlights the lack of consistent, publicly available data on school infrastructure, making it difficult for Parliament, civil society, and communities to hold the state accountable.
Beyond tracking expenditure, Mud to Bricks provides a clear picture of the different dimensions of the infrastructure backlog: thousands of classrooms still needed to reduce overcrowding, unsafe buildings awaiting replacement, and widespread deficits in basic services such as water, electricity, and sanitation. The research shows that while some progress has been made, the pace is far too slow. Without reforms to planning and contracting, the eradication of inappropriate school structures could stretch to 2023/24 or beyond.
Ultimately, the report underscores the vital role of advocacy and litigation in moving government action forward. It argues that children cannot realise their constitutional right to education while they are taught in crumbling or dangerous facilities. By combining rigorous financial and policy analysis with strong recommendations for reform, Mud to Bricks continues to inform debates on how to ensure that every learner in South Africa has access to safe, dignified spaces for learning.