POLL | Are the budget cuts for provincial education departments a disaster waiting to happen?

As the rising cost of living forces South Africans to be more responsible with how they spend, government is also making adjustments to its budgets, but many are criticising the move affecting some departments as it could compromise service delivery.

The budgets of provincial education departments across the country are facing reductions.

The announcement has been criticised by the head of parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education, warning that a schooling catastrophe is looming due to the budget cuts forced on departments.

Committee chair Joy Maimela said on Friday all provinces would be invited to give the committee detailed presentations on how budget cuts were affecting them.

“We want them to give us an idea of how bad the situation is and to consider budget review mechanisms that exist in the Public Finance Management Act. There are definitely going to be challenges in teaching and learning, considering our teacher-pupil ratio is not where it should be.”

Government has agreed to a 7.5% wage increase for teachers and other public servants for 2023/2024, but did not increase provincial budgets.

Provinces are scrambling to adjust by making billions in cuts. Teaching posts, early childhood development programmes and scholar transport are among the items likely to be pruned. The Western Cape announced it will have to cut 2,400 teaching posts at the end of the year.

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