Luyanda Hlali, a 14-year-old girl from the rural village of Stratford in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, faces a dangerous journey to school every day. In order to boil water and prepare for the day ahead, Luyanda wakes up early to gather firewood and cow dung. Once her chores are done, she embarks on a 10 km (6 miles) walk to school.
Unfortunately, there are no school buses available to transport Luyanda and many other children like her. This means they have to navigate long, dusty roads, putting them at risk of encountering thieves and shady individuals along the way. Despite South Africa’s transition to democracy nearly thirty years ago, tens of thousands of children living in impoverished and isolated rural communities still lack easy access to public schools.
This issue highlights the unequal access to education faced by these children, exacerbating existing disparities in a country that is already ranked as the most unequal in the world by the World Bank. Girls, in particular, are more vulnerable to violence, and robberies in these areas are all too common. Activists and community leaders in KwaZulu-Natal are calling on the government to provide transportation for the more than 200,000 schoolchildren, like Luyanda, who have to walk three kilometers or more to reach school.
According to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government policy, authorities should be responsible for transporting students who live beyond a certain distance from school. However, due to high levels of poverty and unemployment, school buses are not a top priority. South Africa’s socioeconomic conditions and inherent inequality are reflected in the lack of school transportation. Those who cannot afford urban housing also find themselves without access to essential services.
A 2020 report by Amnesty International emphasized that the experiences of children in South Africa still heavily depend on factors such as their place of birth, wealth, and the color of their skin. This further perpetuates the cycle of inequality that continues to hinder the nation’s progress.
In conclusion, the plight of Luyanda and other rural children in South Africa sheds light on the unequal access to education they face. The absence of government-funded school transportation only worsens the risks and disparities they already encounter. It is crucial for the government to prioritize and address this issue in order to provide equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic background.
