Finance MEC Deirdre Baartman announced R500 million was allocated to the education department over three years.
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Amid ongoing tensions between civic organisations, unions and the Western Cape government over teacher cuts, in her budget speech Thursday, Finance MEC Deirdre Baartman acknowledged that overcrowded classrooms had become a growing concern.
Baartman announced R500 million was allocated to the education department over three years.
The Western Cape government had been under fire after it announced that it would not renew the contracts of 2407 teachers by the end of last year.
In her budget speech on Thursday, Baartman said: “Our schools are witnessing an unprecedented increase in learner enrolment, which has resulted in overcrowded classrooms and a (increase) in the learner-teacher ratio. This rapid increase in numbers requires us to step up to provide infrastructure enhancements in the education space and an increased need to fund the employment of teachers.
"To accommodate learner growth, an additional R549.288 million over the medium term will be allocated to the WCED. With R173.202 million allocated in 2025/26, R182.914 million allocated in 2026/27 and R193.172 million in 2027/28."
She added that the Western Cape Rapid Schools Build Programme would also receive an allocation of R2.298 billion over the MTEF with R1.048 billion for 2025/26 and R1.250 billion for 2026/27.
“This will assist the WCED to address the urgent need for additional classrooms and learning facilities in the province.”
During the State of the Province Address (Sopa) last month, Cosatu, together with civil society organisations and opposition parties, picketed in Beaufort West to highlight the issue of teacher cuts.
A memorandum handed to Premier Alan Winde read: “Teacher morale is low due to a lack of administrative breaks, and wealthier schools can employ more teachers than less fortunate ones. Cosatu demands that the WCED and the Western Cape Government stop wasting financial resources, recoup funds diverted from Education to Community Safety, stop building collaboration schools, and extend the contracts of all qualified teachers whose contracts were terminated.”
In his response Winde maintained: “We were short-changed through the cost of the wage agreement negotiated nationally with unions, leaving the province to fund the shortfall. The only way we could close the gap, without reducing teacher posts, would be to cut support to schools, including schools in poor communities, and hollow out our non-personnel spending.
"We note the 2025 Budget speech delivered where the Finance Minister announced that R19.1 billion will be added to the Education budget over the medium term. The allocation of funding to the Western Cape Safety Plan did not affect our spending on teachers at all. The reason for the current shortfall is the decision by the national government not to fully fund the 2023 wage agreement. We build public ordinary schools in areas of demand.
"The 2024/2025 Educator Post establishment process has already been finalised. The reduction in teaching posts has increased the projected average teacher to learner ratio from 1:34.2 in 2024 to 1:36.7 in 2025. By making even more cuts in our own budget, we were able to make up to 477 teaching growth posts available to accommodate the extra learners in our schools.”
Lobby group, the Special Action Committee (SAC) said it rejected the Premier’s response.
“The SAC outright rejects the Premier’s feeble attempts to justify the cutting of teaching posts. While underprivileged communities are left to suffer overcrowded classrooms and a deteriorating education system, wealthier schools are conveniently shielded from these devastating cuts. The reality is that government inefficiencies, misplaced priorities, and an anti-poor agenda have led to this crisis. SAC is escalating our legal action against the WCED.”
Cape Times