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The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Chairperson today welcomed the additional funding allocated in the budget for the basic education sector, describing it as “encouraging for a sector that desperately needs the money to ensure we keep teachers in the classroom”.
 
Ms Joy Maimela said: “The additional funding that was announced in today’s budget address will go a long way in ensuring that we retain educators and to make sure those early childhood development (ECD) centres in deep rural areas get the much-needed money it requires.”
 
She was responding to the budget announcement today, in which R19.1 billion extra was allocated to keep approximately 11 000 teacher in the classroom. In terms of ECD, the subsidy was raised for R17 per child per day to R24 per child per day, allocating an addition R10 billion, which will increase access to ECD for about 700 000 more learners.
 
Ms Maimela said the Finance Minister was correct when he highlighted in his budget speech that the teacher/learner ratio is high and that South Africa needs more educators. “Since the start of the 7th Parliament less than a year ago, the committee has visited several provinces and also engaged with all provincial education department during our induction. The one thing that came out clear across the board is funding. Some indicated that they had to cut a significant number of posts, meaning class sizes will increase further. We urge that, with the new allocation, posts will be filled so that quality education can take place,” said Ms Maimela.
 
She also welcomed to allocation for ECD and said the R24 per child per day is a big improvement in the current economic environment. “We saw the great need in the deep rural, far-flung areas during or oversight visits. This is the foundation for our future leaders. We are encouraged by the allocation to education as this is the only way to uplift our people,” she emphasised.

Issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Joy Maimela