The Western Cape education department (WCED) is facing a R3.8bn budget shortfall over the next three years, leading to the necessity of cutting more than 2,400 teaching posts. Despite efforts to fight for teachers, the department is only receiving 64% of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving a significant funding gap.
Sadtu, a teachers’ union, rejected proposals to reduce educator posts, highlighting the impact on working-class communities. WCED has implemented budget cuts in various areas, including freezing recruitment and restricting substitute teacher appointments.
The union suggested reallocating funds from certain programmes to avoid cutting teaching positions, warning that overcrowded classrooms in poor schools could lead to disciplinary challenges. Despite these concerns, WCED has not shown the political will to explore alternative cost-saving measures.
The situation presents a challenging dilemma for WCED as they strive to achieve fiscal stability without compromising the quality of education in their schools.
Source: TimesLIVE
[ad_2]
Source link
