EDUCATION NEWS -  Yesterday, Wednesday 28 August, schools in the Western Cape were informed by the head of the provincial department of education, Brent Walters, that due to severe budget cuts, the department will not be able to maintain the current number of educator posts in the province.

In a statement issued today, Western Cape Education Minister, David Maynier, said they are doing everything they can to fight for teachers, but are being short-changed by the national government.

"We are receiving only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%, resulting in a massive budget shortfall of R3,8-billion. 

"We have done everything we can to fight for our teachers by imposing budget cuts across the board, including on administration, curriculum and infrastructure," Maynier said.

He said they have also frozen the recruitment of most public service staff, encouraged schools to convert contract appointments, and restricted the appointment of substitute teachers.

"Despite implementing a drastic R2,5-billion budget cut, we still face a R3,8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years. To remain fiscally stable, we will have no choice but to reduce the basket of educator posts by approximately 2 400 posts in 2025."

Maynier said reducing the number of teachers in our schools will negatively impact learning outcomes, so this is a decision they have not taken lightly.

Clarifying the statement, acting spokesperson, Tania Colyn told Group Editors: "We are not firing teachers. 

"The reduction in the staff establishment will be split over contract and permanent teachers, depending on the decisions of our schools on which teacher posts to maintain.

"Permanent teachers will not lose their jobs, but may be asked to move to a post in another school where there is a vacancy that remains on the staff establishment which fits the teacher’s profile.

She said the temporary appointments for contract teachers end on 31 December 2024 as planned, and any new contract period in 2025 would depend on available vacant posts.

"Around 2 100 educators leave our system each year, for reasons such as relocation or resignation, so there will be vacancies that will open up for excess permanent teachers to move to, or for contract teachers to apply for."

Maynier said the circumstances of schools will be taken into account when determining the allocation of educator posts.

He said this process is still underway, and the department is communicating with schools this week before they receive their staff post allocations for 2025.

The department has been in talks with teacher unions and Maynier says they sincerely hope that the unions will join their fight for the province's teachers.

"We are doing everything we can to fight for our teachers, and have raised the matter at the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) for urgent action, because these budget shortfalls impact all the provinces.

"We should never have been put in this position, and we will do everything we can to fight for our teachers in the Western Cape," Maynier said.

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