Basket of Posts Consultation: Ensuring the Delivery of a Quality Curriculum | Western Cape Government

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Basket of Posts Consultation: Ensuring the Delivery of a Quality Curriculum

3 August 2010

Today, I have met with teacher unions and governing body organisations to consult on the basket of posts that will be made available in 2011.

This is consultative process that is required by law.

In terms of the relevant legislation it is the responsibility of the Provincial Minister of Education to determine the educator post establishment of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

The distribution of these posts is the responsibility of the Head of the Education Department.

The determination of the number of posts is not a responsibility I take lightly and I am well aware of the implications of the decision I will have to make.

This year's consultation takes place in a very difficult financial climate.

We face a number of financial challenges, the extent of which we have not had to face for a number of years. We cannot escape these financial realities, but rather have to confront them head on.

This administration is committed to the responsible allocation of resources, in a manner that can be sustained over the long-term. In previous years, under a different administration, this principle has not always been applied. This, in turn, has partly contributed to the financial challenges we face today.

We want to avoid at all costs a situation where, in order to satisfy short-term needs, we create further and even more entrenched problems 3-5 years down the line.

It is in this context that we need to confront the reality that, based on current expenditure, a shortfall of R197 million is predicted on the WCED's budget for 2010/11.

Faced with this fact, we have been back to the Provincial Treasury on no fewer than three times. They have made it clear on each of these occasions that there are no additional funds available to fund this shortfall, therefore, the WCED will have to fund the shortfall itself.

The budget shortfall is driven by a variety of factors - many beyond the control of this administration. This includes the funding of increases in teachers' and other employees salaries that have occurred over the last few years, the implementation of the salary component of the Occupational Specific Despensation (OSD) and general inflation.

I have therefore requested the Head of Education to look internally for solutions to identify where cost savings can be made in the Department. This process has already identified substantial savings, in excess of R100 million, and is in line with the directive of Provincial Treasury to "learn to do more with less".

These savings have been made in the following areas:

    1. No senior managers have been appointed since November 2009. Current senior managers have extended their workload to cover these vacant posts and these posts will not be filled in 2010.
    2. The number of appointments at Head Office and District Offices has been restricted to essential posts. Selected officials have increased their responsibilities to address these cuts in posts.
    3. The number and scale of bonuses for 2009 was restricted.
    4. The purchasing of selected textbooks through bulk procurement.
    5. Plans for textbook retention.
    6. Bulk tenders and repeat designs for the building of schools and classrooms.
    7. Cutting all Departments' within the WCED operating budgets by 20%.

Despite these substantial cost saving initiatives, the grim reality is that we simply do not have the financial resources to create additional teaching posts in 2011. In fact, to increase the basket of posts would be financially irresponsible, as it would for example, restrict funding on other essentials such as textbook provision and the building of new and replacement schools.

It is very important to emphasise that any cuts in the total allocation of teaching posts will not affect teachers currently in the classroom.

Approximately 300 posts will be cut by not filling current vacancies and by reducing the number of posts where educators are not in the classroom but are, for example, deployed to district offices.

I have also made it abundantly clear that in managing the budget constraints of the WCED that there remain three priorities which are non-negotiable. Indeed, if funding were taken away from them, then teaching would no longer be worthwhile.

These priorities include:

    1. Maintaining the staffing stability of schools. We are fully committed to providing a quality education to learners in all our schools and therefore will explore all avenues in order to protect teaching posts as far as it is possible.
    2. The provision of textbooks and other learning resources.
    3. The provision of safe and adequate school infrastructure.

It is important to remember that any organization must retain an appropriate balance between its various categories of expenditure if it is to deliver on its core mandate, in our case, delivering a quality curriculum to learners. Building and maintaining schools as well as providing textbooks are two elements that are critical to providing a quality education.

Statement by:
Donald Grant
Minister of Education
Western Cape

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Minister of Education, Donald Grant
Western Cape
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