Education MEC unpacks R57bn budget
Financial constraints could prevent optimum provision of scholar transport as costs could reach R1bn
THE Department of Education is facing a difficult task in providing scholar transport and will need almost R1 billion to transport thousands of pupils who have applied to be part of the programme.
The figure does not include the thousands of other pupils who need the service but have not yet applied.
KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Kwazi Mshengu revealed this during his tabling of the department’s R57bn budget yesterday. The budget was supported by all parties, with the DA reserving its right to support it.
The Education Department’s budget increased by R3bn this financial year.
Members of the provincial legislature (MPLs), however, raised concerns about the decline of the infrastructure budget, the compensation of employees, at 91% that consumes a large part of the total budget and leaves very little for operations. Opposition parties argued that this was much higher than the national norm of 80% going to the compensation of employees.
Mshengu said the scholar transport function was important as the department recognised the long distances travelled by pupils to access education across the province. He said the department would continue to provide transport for them.
“However, budgetary constraints continue to be a major factor in preventing the department from rolling out this programme optimally.
“In the 2020/21 financial year, with the allocation of R367 million, we were able only provide transport to 58 908 pupils. We have 117 248 pupils who are on the waiting list who are currently excluded from the programme as a result of budgetary constraints.
“The amount that is required to cover these pupils is estimated at R910m per annum. Notably, this figure excludes pupils who have not applied for scholar transport, who, on their own, are likely to run into thousands,” said Mshengu.
He said another key function of his department, the provision of school nutrition under the National School Nutrition Programme, had been allocated R1.718bn for the 2020/2021 financial year for pupils in quintiles 1 to 3, including some in quintile 4 and 5 schools.
“With this programme, we provide pupils with balanced and nutritious
meals every day. This programme is primarily aimed at seeking to alleviate short-term hunger at school, and to improve pupil attendance and participation in class,” he said.
The nutrition programme grant provides meals to approximately 2 336 282 pupils in approximately 5 342 schools throughout the province.
“We will continue making sure that this programme is among those that we pride ourselves in, both as the department and the government.”
Mshengu denied allegations from one of the MPLs that this function was used to line the pockets of ANC youth league members.
He said he had never been pressured to give contracts to the youth league, adding that anyone with proof of wrongdoing as it related to this function should contact the police.
Mshengu said R48m had been allocated to the sanitary towels dignity programme that provides sanitary towels to about 956 000 girls.
“This will indeed go a long way in helping us bring back the dignity of thousands of our girl pupils who, for many years, had a challenge of not having access to proper sanitary towels,” he said.
IFP MPL Thembeni KaMadlopha Mthethwa said it was clear that scholar transport was still problematic, “particularly as there are 117 246 pupils who are supposed to be benefiting from this programme, yet they are still without transport.
“In many places pupils leave their homes and seek accommodation close to schools to avoid the danger of walking long distances,” she said.
“We are also concerned that the department is losing R190m allocated for the School Infrastructure Grant. This is an indication that the department continues to fail to fully spend this grant, while there are schools that are still using pit latrines in KZN. Also, the project of removing asbestos in all schools does not seem to have been adequately executed.
“More than 400 schools have been vandalised since the beginning of the lockdown. These are in addition to the storm-damaged schools that need to be repaired by the department,” she said.
EFF MPL Nomvuyelelo Dlamini said: “The National School Nutrition Programme grant that feeds pupils in quintiles 1, 2 and 3 schools is the most abused and mismanaged grant in the department. The nutrition programme must be audited, and restructured to ensure the uniform provision of food that is healthy.”
DA MPL Imran Keeka said schools across the province were in need of maintenance. The issues ranged from broken windows, broken static tanks – many with broken taps – and toilets without doors to about 1083 schools with pit latrines.”