The Western Cape Education Department’s (WCED) promise to “fight to save our teachers” rings hollow judging by the Education MEC David Maynier’s nonchalant attitude towards an issue that will have catastrophic consequences for the future of thousands of children.
Nearly 2 500 teachers could be out of work by the end of December when their contracts expire.
The DA-led Western Cape government claims it does not have enough money to fund these posts after the WCED’s budget was slashed by the National Treasury. However, its counterparts in KwaZulu-Natal and other provinces have found ways to cope with the budget cuts without compromising the future of their learners.
Why has the Western Cape not adopted a similar approach, for example reprioritising funds from other non-urgent programmes to avoid this looming crisis?
All eyes were on Finance MEC Deidré Baartman’s maiden Medium-Term Budget Policy statement this week with the hope that she would announce plans to save the situation.
Indeed, she announced that her department would allocate R250 million to the Western Cape Education Department from the Provincial Revenue Fund to deal with their Compensation of Employee pressure.
“The residual spending pressure amounting to R105m will be covered through acceleration of matching and placing of teachers which has the potential to decrease the current pressure in the system, and reprioritising slow spending items within the department. Further, the Provincial Treasury will un-earmark R600m in provincial equitable share within the WCED’s infrastructure allocation to provide further manoeuvrability within the department’s vote.”
Maynier’s response was that the R800m allocated will not save teacher posts.
The Good Party may have a strong case in asserting that this is a self-created crisis. A caring MEC would be having sleepless nights knocking on every government door looking for a solution.
Where is Panyaza Lesufi to guide Maynier out of the crisis he is walking into?
Cape Times