Schools at risk as budget cuts hit education sector funding, jeopardizing student performance, teacher morale, and educational quality in 2025.
The Department of Basic Education is grappling with severe budget cuts that could have far-reaching consequences for the country’s already strained education system. As the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education raises alarms, the impact on teaching quality, school infrastructure, and learner safety is becoming increasingly apparent.
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The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education is warning of catastrophic consequences as schools face budget cuts as the Department of Basic Education expected to meet with Treasury in efforts to address this problem. These budget cuts come as a result of economic constraints we are now experiencing in South Africa.
Chairperson for the Committee, Joy Maimela, said:
Our economy has not been growing as anticipated as Government generally and all departments have received budget cuts across the board and the Department of Basic Education is no exception.
“We’re gravely concerned about the implications of these budget cuts on the quality of learning and teaching and also on the ability of the department to provide universal and accessible quality basic education,” continued Maimela.
These budget cuts are expected to bring about various challenges for the education sector, adding to the already existing challenges such as overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure and issues with safety and sanitation.
The Department is currently working on eradicating pit toilets in schools by March 2025, with the project deadline having been extended before this. They have also been working to ensure that school overcrowding is addressed as the learner-teacher ratio is unbalanced in the country.
However, budget cuts could now be worsening the issue of overcrowding in South African schools as this has already been seen in the Western Cape where 2 400 teacher positions will be lost
WCED To Cut 2 400 Teaching Posts
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) revealed that it is facing a R3.8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years, which would see 2 400 teaching posts being affected. According to the department, the national government only provided 64% of the cost of the wage agreement negotiated nationally with unions, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%.
The Department clarified that it will reduce the number of educator posts available for the 2025 school year but that no teachers would be fired or retrenched. Some contract teachers may not have their contracts renewed upon expiry on 31 December 2024, while permanent teachers may be asked to relocate to schools with vacancies.
This is only one of many areas which needed to improve where we’ll be seeing the negative impact of budget cuts. As budget cuts threaten the progress of the department, there have also been wasteful expenditures seen in some provincial departments.
Maimela explains:
One of the key oversight priorities that is going to be the key focus of the Committee is to ensure that there is sufficient utilisation of the resources that are already limited. We’ve got a responsibility to ensure that the budget allocated for the different items is spent according diligently, efficiently and effectively.
“We’ve got to ensure that there is consequence management where budget and monies and resources of the state are not utilised according to their budget and plans that have been communicated.”
The Chairperson believes that government has been lacking behind when it comes to holding those who mismanage funds responsible.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has said that they are confident in the new Minister of Basic Education and her ability to hold those responsible for maladministration responsible.