Provincial department of education faces court action over funding cuts
The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) in Makhanda fears that the quality of education in the Eastern Cape will be further compromised by drastic funding cuts from April next year.
While pupils attending no-fee schools in most provinces will each be allocated R1,602 from the norms and standards budget, those in Eastern Cape will receive only R607.90.
Schools use the allocation to buy textbooks, stationery and education consumables, and to pay for maintenance and municipal services.
To avert the crisis, the LRC sent a letter to the province’s acting head of department, Mahlubandile Qwase, last Wednesday demanding that pupils be allocated the correct funding.
Cecile van Schalkwyk, a lawyer at the LRC, informed Qwase they were acting on behalf of the governing body of Ntsika Secondary School and pupils across the province. These pupils were also given a raw deal this year when they were allocated only R815 each, while the national target was R1,536 per pupil.
Van Schalkwyk said “the continuous reduction in the amount of school funding in Eastern Cape is a retrogressive measure that seriously infringes on learners’ rights to basic education, equality and human dignity”.
She said they had instructions to approach the high court urgently to review and set aside the budget of Ntsika Secondary School and those of other schools “on the basis they are unlawful and unconstitutional”.
“The Eastern Cape province and pupils suffer immensely from the discriminatory and undignified legacy of colonialism and apartheid.”
She stated the department’s decision to reduce funding “further impoverishes poor and marginalised pupils”.
“It widens the inequalities in the provisioning of education in the different provinces.”
She told Qwase the province that has the poorest schools and needs the most educational resources “is now receiving the least money”.
Van Schalkwyk said Ntsika Secondary’s governing body indicated they would not be able to pay municipal accounts and won’t have enough money to ensure every child has a textbook in every subject.
“The reduction in budget has a direct impact on the ability of schools to provide quality education. It is unfathomable that in a time when the cost of municipal services, electricity, textbooks, stationery and other education services are rising, schools are seeing their budgets cut.”
Meanwhile, Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed they will be paying R1,602 a pupil in the new financial year, in line with the norms and standards for school funding.
His Western Cape counterpart, Bronagh Hammond, confirmed they will be paying R1,672 a pupil, R70 more than the stipulated amount.
Eastern Cape education department spokesperson Mali Mtima did not respond to media queries.