Minister Faces Backlash Over McDonald’s Donated Desks for Grade 1 Learners

The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, is facing significant criticism after endorsing foldable plastic desks donated by McDonald’s to Grade 1 learners in Cape Town. The desks, which double as backpacks, were handed over to St Paul’s Primary School in Bo Kaap, Western Cape, sparking an online storm of backlash from the public.

Today, I handed over Mi Desks to Grade 1 learners at St Paul’s Primary school in Bo Kaap, thanks to a generous donation from @McDonalds. @MiDeskGlobal manufactures wheelie school bags that transform into a fully functional desk and chair, easy for learners to use both at home… pic.twitter.com/ch4cv488QE

— Siviwe Gwarube (@Siviwe_G) February 24, 2025

Gwarube praised the innovation behind the donation, describing it as an example of how partnerships could positively impact children’s lives. “MiDeskGlobal, the McDonald’s organization, manufactures wheelie school bags that transform into fully functional desks and chairs, easy for learners to use both at home and at school,” she said. “This donation is a testament to how partnership and innovation can positively impact a child’s life. Every child deserves a learning environment and appropriate infrastructure.”

However, the response from netizens was swift and furious. Many expressed concerns over the practicality and safety of the desks, with some accusing Gwarube of failing the learners by not securing proper desks for schools. Critics took issue with the desks’ size, with one user, Pinky Sithole, calling them hazardous for children. “These monstrosities are a health hazard for small kids. They are impractical and cumbersome,” she wrote. “Your department should provide appropriate desks and chairs in schools.”

Cha sisi. Whether it’s Old Mutual or McDonalds, this cannot be allowed.

These monstrosities are a health hazard for small kids. They are impractical and cumbersome.

Your department should provide appropriate desks and chairs in schools. Why must small kids carry such a burden!? https://t.co/pyPCdSQNqZ

— Pinky Sithole (@pinkysithole17) February 25, 2025

Absolutely none of this makes sense. Just use the donation to buy actual desks?! Why must these babies carry them around with them?! https://t.co/mTc2Wm6L6s

— Melanie van Wyk (@melvanwykct) February 25, 2025

Another user, Tumi, raised concerns over the desks’ size, claiming that they were too large for Grade 1 students to carry. “I need EVERYONE who approved this to be fired! These desks are practically the same size as Grade 1 learners, how do you expect them to carry it with ease?” Tumi wrote on social media.

The desks, which are emblazoned with the McDonald’s logo, also raised ethical questions about whether this initiative was truly charitable or simply a marketing ploy. Bhavna Maharaj, another social media user, questioned the brand’s involvement, writing, “The desks are in classrooms, but they must be backpacks so 6-year-olds can carry them to somewhere as walking billboards for a brand.”

Some critics even accused Gwarube of approving the initiative without fully considering its implications. “It must be fentanyl,” one Twitter user commented, implying that Gwarube was not thinking clearly when approving the desks. “There’s no way you looked at the giant Golden Arches on the backs of children and thought this is definitely in the best interest of the child.”

Other social media users, including Honey Makwakwa, pointed out that the desks would serve as a constant reminder of the poverty faced by the children receiving them. “This is unethical, turning children into walking billboards while they’re expected to sit for hours on empty stomachs,” one person commented.

As the controversy grows, the debate continues on whether the donation is an innovative solution or a misguided attempt to address a long-standing problem in the education sector.

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