Funds for pupils go to food parcels

Outcry over budget re-prioritising needs

GAUTENG’S Social Development decision to prioritise food parcels over thousands of underprivileged pupils has infuriated sections of the education sector.

This comes after the department opted to re-prioritise a combined R108 million budget in the special adjustment for the 2020/21 financial year. The funds, which were meant for dignity packs and school uniforms, have been channelled towards food parcels.

Matakanye Matakanya, the general secretary of the National Association school governing body, said the decision to compromise education was disturbing.

“The return of learners to schools has been widely publicised and to have school learners return under such circumstances is really disturbing.”

The general secretary urged the department to reconsider the reprioritisation of funds.

“This is one of the decisions that we will challenge and take up with the department. We can’t overlook so many learners, not especially in this time of economic challenges,” he said.

The dignitary packs contain menstruation pads and products for people living with albinism.

Education Department spokesperson Thamsanqa Kenke said the pupils would still receive their supplies.

“In quarter one 37 387 dignity packs were delivered to grades that were available in schools.

“Delivery of school uniforms is standard practice planned for quarter 4. Learners that were available have received dignity packs and more will receive as other grades are returning,” said Kenke.

South African Democratic Teachers Union provincial secretary Tseliso Ledimo said: “As a union, we might not be aware of the dynamics of budget allocations within the province but we are definitely against such a decision. Education should be up there when it comes to prioritising funds.”

The department said that because of the fact that schools were closed during lockdown, they could not locate learners who were beneficiaries of the dignity packs.

The DA’s Refiloe Ntsekhe criticised the department for not having a database to locate underprivileged learners when schools were closed.

“This is worrying in terms of how these dignity packs are being distributed, which means that those learners that need them the most are unable to access this service when schools are closed. While there is a need for food security in this province, we are deeply saddened because menstruation does not disappear because there is a lockdown.”

However, Kenke dismissed those claims indicating that the department has a database of beneficiaries and that they will be taken care of when they return to school.