Worries rise over teacher cuts

Schools and churches to hold mass service

STAFF cuts are expected to be made at almost every school in Nelson Mandela Bay next year after the Department of Education announced that posts in the province would be cut by 1 049, from 55 796 this year to only 54 747 next year.

In reaction, the Northern Areas Education Forum is joining forces with several churches and plans to hold a mass service to “pray for quality education”.

At the time of the announcement, department spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said the decision was based on pupil numbers provided by schools.

Bethelsdorp High principal Leon Arendse said according to pre-final numbers for its post-establish- ment, the school would be losing three teachers next year and most in the area would be affected.

“We have all been asked to send our numbers to the Northern Areas Education Forum,” he said.

“It is extremely difficult for us because we are a no-fee school so we cannot afford to appoint school governing body (SGB) teachers. We just do not have the money.”

Arendse said instead of decreasing, the school’s pupil-teacher ratio was on the increase.

“This year it was 31 to 1, but next year it will be 33 to 1. Classes are getting bigger,” he said.

“This makes discipline more difficult and leads to demoralised teachers.

“We are hoping our numbers change, but we do not expect it to change much.”

Sapphire Road Primary School principal Bruce Damons said while the school had been awaiting information about five vacant posts since July, it would have to lose one post.

“We are stuck in limbo and it is difficult to do any planning in such uncertainty,” he said.

“We have been waiting for news about our vacant posts since July and I have made submissions to everyone, including the MEC, but we have yet to hear anything.”

Northern Areas Education Forum secretary Richard Draai said most schools had reported staff cuts and a task team meeting would be held to plan the way for- ward. “The situation looks very bleak. We are very disappointed because our calls for more teachers this year have been ignored.

“We have met with the churches and a mass service will be held at the end of the month,” he said.

Meanwhile, massive staff cuts are expected to be made at former Model C schools as well.

Parsons Hill Primary School principal Clinton Saddler said prefinal post-establishment numbers indicated the school would have to lose five teachers.

“We have been very negatively affected because even though we have only lost four pupils, we will be losing five teachers,” he said.

“We have not budgeted for that kind of loss. At the moment the SGB is already paying for seven teachers, so in the end the parents may have to pay more for cuts made by the department.”

Saddler was also concerned about how the cuts would affect the quality of education at the school.

“We do not know what the department has planned for the teachers who will be cut.

“They are usually put into an excess teacher pool and placed at other schools where there is a shortage.

“It is very concerning, but we have sent a letter to the district office motivating why we need to keep our numbers,” Saddler said.

Westering Primary School principal Keith McCrindle said the school was set to lose three posts.

“We are still waiting for our final numbers but from what we can see they have not included learners with disabilities in their numbers.”