A file photo of Steenberg learners and teachers protesting, against the reduction of teacher posts, as far back as April.PHOTO: Natasha Bezuidenhout
- Communities across Cape Town protested on 13 September against budget cuts that could eliminate up to 2,400 teaching jobs in the Western Cape
- The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) blamed a R3.8 billion budget shortfall caused by reduced national funding
- The WCED says budget constraints leave few alternatives.
Communities across Cape Town took to the streets on Friday 13 September to highlight an “education crisis” due to budget cuts that could see up to 2 400 teacher jobs in jeopardy.
Last month, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) announced a R3,8 billion budget shortfall, which would see a drastic reduction in teacher posts for next year.
Abeedah Adams, a member of the Western Cape Education Crisis Committee (WCECC), who led protests outside the offices of the WCED, said they hope to put pressure on the provincial and national government. She said cutting teacher positions would affect many learners and teachers.
“We are having protests all over the Western Cape, in areas such as Steenberg, Rondebosch, Salt River, Grabouw, Hermanus, Khayelitsha as well as the WCED offices.”
She explained that the committee was formed on Saturday 7 September, shortly after the department announced budget cuts.
“We formed this committee because teacher posts are a big challenge and we are not leaving it unopposed. We are taking action to put pressure on the provincial and national government,” she said. “Teachers are overworked and this will affect poor communities and learners as well as young people who are studying teaching but would have no teacher posts next year.”
Consequences
According to Adams, the reduction in teacher posts will have far-reaching consequences.
“Some teachers have told us that they have 60 learners in a classroom, in the foundation phase and Grade 3,” she shared.
“The future of education and teachers will be affected by these budget cuts and the class sizes means the poor and working class would see more challenges.”
Earlier this year, on Friday 5 April, teachers and learners from Steenberg High School protested against the termination of contract posts after the WCED released a circular announcing budget cuts (“Protect our teachers, 9 April,” People’s Post 9 April).
ALSO READ: Steenberg residents protest ‘in solidarity with teachers’ affected by budget cuts
At the time, the WCED said it was a “devastating blow” after the national government announced major budget cuts, which “forced the department to implement stringent cost containment” measures.
‘Take back schools’
Roy Prinsloo, a member of the Education Union of South Africa (EUSA), at the time, mentioned how budget cuts were affecting schools across the country.
“I think it is high time that teachers take back the schools and insist on the government to come to the party.”
On Friday 30 August, the WCED informed all schools how many teachers would be affected by the decision to reduce the Basket of Educator posts for next year.
ALSO READ: 2,400 teaching jobs at risk: WCED’s uphill battle against budget shortfall
“The WCED will be working closely with schools to determine which teachers will be affected,” the statement read. “We are not firing teachers and we are not retrenching teachers. The reduction in posts will mean that some contract teachers will not be reappointed after their contracts end on 31 December, and some permanent teachers will be asked to move to another school where there is a suitable vacancy.”
The WCED added that they have been engaging with teachers’ unions to ensure that they understand the reasoning behind this decision.
“We are in this position because we are being short-changed by the national government, receiving only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%.
Shortfall
“Despite implementing a drastic R2,5 billion budget cut, including on administration, curriculum and infrastructure, we still face a R3,8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years.”
According to the WCED, to remain fiscally stable, the Basket of Educator posts have to be reduced by approximately 2 400 posts next year.
Meanwhile, on Thursday 5 September, Western Cape Minister of Education David Maynier, said striking will not change the fact that there is a budget shortfall.
“We are aware that teachers’ unions have threatened to go on strike,” he said.
“Striking will not change the fact that we are being short-changed by the national government. Even if we cut all the programmes suggested by the teachers’ unions, we would not come anywhere close to dealing with the massive R3,8 billion budget shortfall.”
Maynier added that the situation was critical.
“If we do not take drastic action to cover the massive shortfall, we compromise our ability to pay for our bills, which includes the salaries of teachers,” he said.
“The only way we could close the gap would be to cut critical support to schools in poorer communities, including school feeding, learner transport, and payments to schools with which they pay their daily expenses. We would have to hollow out our non-personnel spending to become a department that only transfers salaries and does not offer any support to teachers, learners and schools.”
Natasha Bezuidenhout
www.news24.com
