Even though more than R800 million was allocated to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in the province’s adjustment budget, it is not enough to save teacher posts, according to Education MEC David Maynier.
The WCED has been under pressure to reverse its decision to terminate 2 407 teacher contract posts in January, citing the National Treasury’s budget cuts to several departments.
On Tuesday, Finance MEC Deidré Baartman gave hope as she initially appeared to allay fears when she tabled the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement and the Adjustments Budget allocating millions to the WCED.
“The Provincial Treasury is allocating R250 million to the Western Cape Education Department from the Provincial Revenue Fund to deal with their COE (Compensation of Employee) pressure.
“The residual spending pressure amounting to R105 million will be covered through the acceleration of matching and placement of teachers.
“Further, the Provincial Treasury will unearmark R600 million in provincial equitable share within the WCED’s infrastructure allocation to provide further manoeuvrability within the Department’s vote.
“Speaker, what this means is there will be enough funding within the Department’s budget to deal with its current projected pressure,” Baartman said.
Despite this, Maynier maintained that onnie cuts were not off the table, reported the Cape Times.
“The residual budget pressure refers to the deficit after cutting 2407 teaching posts. The additional allocation towards reducing the remaining budget deficit will have no effect on the reduction in posts. We will continue to do everything we can to fight for our teachers in the Western Cape,” said Maynier.
GOOD Party secretary-general Brett Herron said they were shocked to hear that the teachers would not be saved.
“In her Maiden Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, Finance MEC Deidré Baartman detailed how money would be made available within the WCED’s budget to deal with ‘immediate teaching post pressures’. It is unclear if this wording was chosen as a deliberate attempt to appease critics or if it was genuinely a poor choice of words,” Herron said.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the province said they would be meeting with the WCED on Friday, while National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa) provincial head, Riedwaan Ahmed said they needed to be consulted on how the WCED intended to spend the funds.
nicola.daniels@inl.co.za