Basic Education Minister Gwarube responds to criticism of MiDesk rollout

CAPE TOWN - The basic education department has come under major criticism after rolling out branded McDonald's desks for Grade 1 learners.

The plastic desks, weighing two kilogrammes each, have been distributed to several schools across the country. 

Learners in need are encouraged to take advantage of the provision and carry their desks to and from school daily.

However, members of the public have taken to social media and criticised the move, suggesting it was not thought all the way through.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube responded to the scrutiny.

"Firstly, I think it's important to understand that as an education sector, we are under a tremendous amount of pressure. The statistics reveal that about 2.4 pieces of furniture in our public schools are still needed."

She said that it was normal for the department to partner with big corporates. 

"And so, we do partner regularly with corporate partners, who say to us they want to come and aid us in many ways, and we’ve got a wide range of corporate partners and so this was no different. And this community invited us, in fact, to say a local businessman had procured the 'MiDesk' from McDonald's."