Schools struggle as WCED underspends

THE Western Cape Education (WCED) department underspent R556 million and returned R44 million to the Provincial Treasury while schools across the province struggled with resources.

At the beginning of the year, the number of unplaced pupils stood at 2861.

Activist and Parents for Equal Education SA (Peesa) founder Vanessa Le Roux said this is a yearly occurrence.

The WCED sends funds back to Treasury while poor schools are struggling with resources, shortage of teachers, failing infrastructure and lack of schools.

“Just a few days ago, they presented a report which claimed a charge of vandalism.

“The question is why extra security was not employed at these hotspots to address the issue. It is almost like a deliberate attempt, for those in planning, to let our schools be victim to these activities.

“The excuse is often budget constraints. There is a refusal to uplift these schools and address the challenges we face.”

Most schools are struggling to comply with the 1-metre rule policy that was announced by the Department of Basic Education Department (DBE).

ANC provincial spokesperson on education, Khalid Sayed, said the money should not have been sent back to Treasury when there was a great need for more schools, teachers and resources.

“The same MEC who always hides behind the excuse of insufficient funds when questioned about her failure to address overcrowded classrooms, and the crisis of unplaced learners, has surrendered money to Treasury. Over the past two financial years, the WCED has failed to spend a budget amounting to over R891 million, yet when learners are not placed, she blamed the national government.”

MEC Debbie Schäfer admitted that they had reported an underspend of R556 million at the financial year-end.

“The reasons included delays in the construction industry which were beyond our control, and which has been experienced around the world as a result of the effects of Covid-19.”

She said they only returned R44 million to Provincial Treasury last year, as a result of Covid-19 disrupting some departmental programmes.

“That was just 0.18% of last year’s budget. Other money that was underspent in the last financial year has been rolled over to the new financial year. For example, a large portion of the underspend was from the BEEI, a nationally mandated project.”

Schäfer added that underspending did not equal “sent back to the Treasury”.

“A simple perusal of the budget books and annual reports will show this. This has been explained in detail and repeatedly to the politicians making these claims. They have decided to deliberately make false claims.”

She also explained that the remaining funds could not be reallocated to other purposes because they come with pre-conditions.Le Roux said the public need to know the conditions of the funds.

“We want to know where it could have been spent. This is happening annually. We need to know what the conditions are and to which portfolio the money is being allocated to in order for us to see whether that portfolio is well taken care of to allow them to send money back. We simply cannot have a situation where politicians play politics with such an important portfolio, while we are faced with a crisis.”

| SUPPLIED DESPITE facing fraud and money laundering charges, councillor Nora Grose has been appointed to the MPAC. YAGYAH Adams from Cape Muslim Party, who was sleeping throughout the proceedings, was re-elected as its chairperson.