Cape Town - As the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is in a race to deliver more classrooms in communities under pressure due to the increased demand for placement in schools, the ANC in the province claimed the department would “waste” the R7.44 billion budget for infrastructure on “shack schools.”
Western Cape Finance MEC Mireille Wenger tabled a 2023/24 “budget of action” on Tuesday where the WCED was allocated R7.44 billion to deliver more classrooms and build more schools which would also benefit children with special educational needs.
Earlier this month the department said that they had delivered 721 of the 842 classrooms scheduled to be completed by March 31.
It expressed its confidence that the remaining classrooms were on track for delivery by the scheduled deadline.
According to Wenger the province would provide an additional R61.60 million in 2023/24, R63.89 million in 2024/5 and R67.25m in 2025/26 to the school feeding programme.
“This will make sure that, despite the steep increase in the cost of food, children will still have quality nutritional and calorific value in the food provided in these programmes,” said Wenger.
ANC Education MPL Khalid Sayed said the budget lacked inspiration and did not present clear plans to respond to pressing present day challenges such as unplaced learners.
“As we speak, nearly 500 Grades 1 and 8 learners remain unplaced in schools in the province and nearly 1500 more learners between Grades 2 to 7 and 9 to 12.
“Now requested transfers to other schools have not been affected. While we note and welcome the allocation of R7.4bn over the 2023 MTEF for education infrastructure, we know it will be wasted on short-term temporary solutions like the shack schools being built through the Rapid School Build Programme,” said Sayed.
MEC David Maynier welcomed the budget saying the full details of plans for the 2023/24 financial year would be outlined in his education budget speech expected at the end of the month.
He said with the increase in the budget allocation to R29.5bn this year, the department would ensure that they improve education outcomes and expand access to education through their rapid school build programme to provide more places in schools for children.
Maynier said they also planned to expand access and support for pupils with special needs.
“Had member Sayed actually attended the Standing Committee’s visit to Saxonsea Junior High School, which was built in just 65 working days, he would have seen first hand just how beautiful, spacious and safe our Rapid School Build schools are.”
Cape Times