Basic Education Minister, Siviwe Gwarube, says her department is committed to take all necessary steps to stabilise the education system given the budgetary constraints affecting provinces.
COURTESY: X - @DBE_SAGwarube addressed the media on developments regarding
budget cuts in the education sector, in Pretoria, on Wednesday.
“The Deputy Minister [Dr Reginah Mhaule] and I have been in
constant engagement with provinces to support them during this challenging
fiscal environment. We have committed ourselves to doing everything we can to
stabilise the system and have appealed to provinces to retain the basket of
posts, in order to not compromise education outcomes.’’
The briefing comes weeks after several provincial
Departments of Education have been vocal about the budgetary pressures they
face.
“These budget pressures are not just numbers on a
spreadsheet - they translate into fewer teachers, reduced textbooks, and fewer
admin support staff, which means teachers spend more time on admin work, thereby
reducing learning and teaching time. In essence, the very fabric of our
children’s future is under threat.”
She explained that provinces like the Western Cape have
seen the painful decision to reduce the basket of teaching posts for 2025, a
move that may result in fewer educators in classrooms.
“This may mean larger class sizes, reduced individual
attention for learners, and ultimately, a risk to the achievement of quality
education outcomes.”
She added that unfortunately, other provinces throughout
the country are in a similar position with many desperately working to find
ways of avoiding having to top slice budgets for key services like textbooks,
admin support and scholar transport programmes.
“We are faced with a pending national crisis, one that
affects not just our learners but our teachers, principals, and broader
communities. It is crucial to understand that this crisis is not confined to
one province or one aspect of the education sector. Every province is grappling
with these painful choices.”
“Several provinces have preserved the same post basket for
the past three academic years, despite learner numbers increasing, while other
provinces have decreased their posts in the past three years. It is important
to note that these have been cuts in posts but not warm bodies. Meaning that no
person gets retrenched but rather vacancies are not filled,” she said.
Nationally, the Minister highlighted that the number of
learners within the education system has increased by approximately 292 820
over the last five years.
She explained that an increase in learners' numbers without
increasing the post basket, may affect the quality of teaching which may soon
be reflected in the performance of the system.
“As a result, I have requested an urgent meeting with the
Minister of Finance to discuss the matter further. I am grateful to Minister
[Enoch] Godongwana for his cooperation and support on this important matter.
Gwarube has also requested a convening of a political 10X10
meeting between the Minister of Finance and the provincial MECs for Finance, as
well as herself and the nine MECs of Education.
Done by: Elona Sibunzi
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