Western Cape Education Department's increased budget
Posted by Ingrid Thomson | 21 Apr, 2008Media Statement from the MEC on the Budget presentation to Western Cape Standing Committee on Education, Cultural Affairs and Sport:
The increased allocation in the education budget will primarily be used
to provide the poorest schools with libraries, science labs, halls and
extra classes; and to expand grade R; as well as provide further teacher
training and improved school management systems.
The budget of R9,019,913,000 is again the bulk of the provincial
government budget. This is up from the R7,685 billion budget of the
2007/08 financial year. By far the greatest portion goes to the primary
and secondary school system, including schools for special needs
learners.
The increased allocation in the education budget will primarily be used
to provide the poorest schools with libraries, science labs, halls and
extra classes; and to expand grade R; as well as provide further teacher
training and improved school management systems.
The budget of R9,019,913,000 is again the bulk of the provincial
government budget. This is up from the R7,685 billion budget of the
2007/08 financial year. By far the greatest portion goes to the primary
and secondary school system, including schools for special needs
learners.
In the next three years we will target improving the quality of
education. These include systemic evaluation and in-service training and
teacher development programmes to enhance the quality of teaching in
critical subjects such as mathematics and life orientation.
Furthermore, the budget will also prioritise the following:
* School building and maintenance.
* Inclusive Education and Special Schools.
* Training of ECD practitioners at ECD sites.
* Continuous expansion and improvement in the quality of Grade R.
* Learner support materials for Grades 10 to 12.
* Expansion of the National School Nutrition Programme.
The number and category of learners are the main cost drivers in the
allocation of the education department’s budget. Except in the case of
Grade R at community sites and adult learning centres, the funding of
the educational institutions mainly consists of the allocation of staff
and the allocation of norms and standards funding.
In the school system, Norms and Standards funding is allocated according
to national poverty quintiles with the poorest quintile receiving, on
average, six times more than the least poor.
The focus of this Budget on matters of access and redress is a critical
reminder of what the business of this government is. The decades of
inequity still reflect in our school infrastructure; it reflects in the
fact that most schools are located in areas of poverty and crime; and it
reflects in the fact that our very teachers are not fully equipped to
give the necessary academic input.
In this year, we commit ourselves to shaping and managing improved
achievement of learning outcomes through further teacher training and
development, and target-setting and accountability across the system.
I want the prevailing message for our schools, colleges, ABET centres
and to our parents and stakeholders, to be that we are entering a time
of stability. We will be consolidating and moving steadily forward.
We know what the needs are and we will do all in our power to support
teachers and learners. We are expanding our vision from “A learning home
for all” to “A quality learning home for all” and commit ourselves to
service.
Copy of the speech is available at 18BudgetPresentationStandingCommittee.doc