Education

(1)     a) (i – iii) The below table contains the teacher: learner ratio from 2014 – 2017. The WCED has since 2014, managed to maintain an average learner/educator ratio at primary schools at 1:36 and at secondary schools at 1:33.

	2014	2015	2016	2017
Secondary	1 : 33.9	1 : 33.8	1 : 33.1	1 : 34.1
Primary	1 : 36.3	1 : 35.8	1 : 37.3	1 : 37.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b)  (i – ii) Overcrowded classrooms are a harsh reality that we as a government are facing in the Western Cape.  This is caused by largely one thing, and that is insufficient money being allocated for this purpose.

 

One of the biggest challenges that we face is that we keep on receiving funding based on out-dated information.  The information used to calculate our equitable share is the previous year’s SNAP survey, as well as information from the 2011 census.  Some provinces have been cushioned from the effects of losing people, but at the expense of provinces gaining those people.   We however continue to engage with national government, as we are committed to providing quality education for all in the Western Cape, as we have been doing since 2009. 

 

As a Department, we are doing everything possible to continue providing quality education for all. We are also investigating other solutions, such as partnerships with the private sector (Collaboration Schools) and finding ways to build more cost-effective schools.  

 

The WCED is working on finding ways to ensure that teaching conditions in classrooms are conducive to learning. It is therefore important that department, districts and schools find ways to ensure that the best possible “teachable” class sizes and innovative teaching is used to support quality learning. The following initiatives have been undertaken to assist with overcrowding:

 

·       District Support for Schools with larger class sizes:

Our district support teams are developing plans to support teachers teaching large classes. They are drawing on considerable international research on the issue by UNESCO on practical ways of teaching large classes.

 

·       Teacher Training:

Our Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute is already providing training on using differentiated teaching approaches. Short-term solutions include timetables that spread the workload as fairly as possible, and implementing innovative ways of assessing learners and providing professional learning opportunities. The WCED eLearning programme is also looking at innovative ways of using technology to support teaching and learning in all contexts.

 

· Infrastructure:

Since 2009, we have completed 120 new and replacement schools in the province.   

 

In addition to the schools we have built, the WCED has built 553 additional classrooms over the last 6 years which include classrooms provided for the expansion of schools, relief classrooms as well as Grade R classrooms. 

 

·       Provision of additional mobile classrooms:

-          An additional 49 mobile classes were supplied in 2014/15

-          An additional 121 mobile classes were supplied in 2015/16

-          An additional 34 mobile classes were supplied in 2016/17

 

·       Teacher: Learner Ratio

The WCED has taken all steps possible to keep the teacher-learner ratio as low as possible, especially in the foundation phase by providing additional posts where needed and where possible. Our system is under severe strain. We have to prioritise according to the greatest need across the whole province, and available budget.

 

·      Increasing basket of teaching posts:

For the 2014 academic year, we managed to increase the number of teaching posts by 226.

 

For the 2015 academic year, we managed to increase the number of teaching posts by 676. 

 

For the 2016 academic year, we were not able to increase the number of teaching posts due, in part, to the nationally negotiated wage increases – otherwise known as the improvement of conditions of service (ICS) for public servants, which were well above the rate of inflation. 

 

For the 2017 academic year 550 additional posts were allocated to accommodate growth and curriculum demands. 136 temporary teacher posts (R 52 million) were allocated from 1 March 2017 from funding received from Provincial Treasury to address growth and an additional 156 posts with effect from 1 April 2017 were allocated from efficiencies with the compensation of employee budget. The department therefore continuously strives to channel as many teacher posts to schools from additional funding and efficiencies identified.      

 

(2) See (1). In addition, plans to fund an additional 175 prefabricated classroom units are currently being submitted for consideration for 2017/18. 

 

The WCED has managed to increase the basket of posts for 2018. An announcement is due to follow shortly in this regard.