Education
Given the recent increase in learner numbers, whether she received any additional funding for (a) more primary schools, (b) more high schools and (c) the appointment of more teachers at schools in Mitchells Plain; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
14. a and b) The WCED does not receive funding per a district or area. For the Western Cape Province as a whole, R531 million has been allocated for the 2018/19 FY for building new and replacement schools. This year, we will also see the completion of 7 new schools and 3 replacements schools. This will assist with the growth in numbers but it is not enough.
This year, in line with annual trends, we saw an additional 25 000 learners enter the province without concomitant funding from the National Treasury. In addition, the National government has also just cut the Education Infrastructure Grant.
There are huge needs in infrastructure, not just in Mitchells Plain, but across the province and there is a very real possibility that Infrastructure Development projects may need to be delayed because of the funding cuts, budget pressures and the prioritisation of water saving and supply measures. This has resulted in the WCED having less funding available to allocate to the building of new schools as well as maintenance of existing schools.
See budget breakdown as per IPMP 2018/19 below.
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TABLE 4: RECONCILING PERFORMANCE TARGETS WITH THE BUDGET AND MTEF |
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BT601 |
Infrastructure Development – Key trends |
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2014/15 |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
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Actual |
Actual |
Actual |
Estimated |
Estimated |
Estimated |
Estimated |
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Payments by sub-programme (R’000) |
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6.1 Administration |
10,338 |
10,112 |
18,417 |
37,897 |
39,850 |
43,411 |
55,862 |
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6.2 Public Ordinary Schools |
1,385,886 |
1,455,743 |
1,440,016 |
1,682,799 |
1,568,709 |
1,406,093 |
1,510,078 |
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6.3 Special Schools |
8,200 |
35,657 |
75,892 |
34,857 |
12,000 |
35,000 |
50,000 |
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6.4 Early Childhood Development
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35,067 |
48,447 |
38,703 |
5,000 |
10,000 |
11,000 |
12,000 |
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Total |
1,439,491 |
1,549,959 |
1,573,028 |
1,760,553 |
1,630,559 |
1,495,504 |
1,627,940 |
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The budget breakdown indicates a reduction in the funds for Primary and High Schools. This reduction was further exacerbated by the need to divert infrastructure funding (R300 million) to assist with drought interventions and keeping schools open during a Day 0 scenario.
(c) A total of forty-one (41) additional educator posts were allocated to schools in the magisterial district of Mitchells’s Plain for the 2018 academic year. Thirty-eight (38) additional educator posts were allocated for growth and three (3) additional educator posts to address curriculum needs.
