Schools in KwaZulu-natal wait for allocations. Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
School principals in KwaZulu-Natal are increasingly finding themselves in a precarious financial situation, as they are compelled to use their personal salaries to run school operations.
They said this was due to the Department of Education's failure to disburse the necessary allocations for the term. This comes as teachers' unions and political parties raised concerns about the national Budget allocations for education.
Many principals have reported being harassed by suppliers of stationery, who have yet to receive payment for their services. The affected institutions are primarily Section 21 schools, which were supposed to receive their allocations last year to procure essential supplies for the current school year. Section 21 schools are those that manage their funds.
Teachers' unions and members of the Education Portfolio Committee have acknowledged the severity of this situation. One principal from the Umhlabuyalinga area took to a national radio station to voice the challenges faced by school leaders.
"The department has not paid the allocations this term. As the term is coming to an end, we are preparing for the exams. In January this year, when the schools opened, we were instructed by the department to engage with suppliers to deliver stationery. Now, those suppliers are demanding payment from us," said the principal.
"There have been instances where we have had to borrow money to cover school expenses. We are using our money to run schools; our families are now coming second," said the principal.
DA spokesperson on Education, Sakhile Mngadi, said: "The DA in KZN is aware of claims that some schools have not yet received their norms and standards payments for this year. At the last committee meeting, the department claimed that all payments had been made. We have now submitted a parliamentary question to inquire which schools are affected by non-payments and the reasons provided by the department. It is unacceptable that critical administrative payments are not made on time, forcing principals and educators to use their personal funds to sustain school operations."
Nomarashiya Caluza, provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU), confirmed that there are schools that have not received their basic allocations.
"SADTU was the first to declare that principals are using their own money to run schools."
In a statement, SADTU emphasised, "It is a known fact that the majority of schools in KZN are no-fee paying institutions, hence their reliance on the department for functioning. These are mainly quintile 1-3 schools. The KZN Department of Education has failed to provide financial allocations to these needy schools."
"Schools have been struggling, with principals having to use their own money to run operations, which is unsustainable. They need this funding to purchase textbooks and stationery, as well as to honour municipal bills and other essential resources. The department's failure to deliver this funding translates to dysfunctionality. In essence, the Department of Education in the province is failing to fulfil its core mandate," the statement added.
Doctor Ngema of the National Teachers' Union said the situation has been very disruptive for teachers and learning.
"The funds were supposed to have been deposited last year, yet they have not been received. School principals are using their own money to run schools, hoping for reimbursement from the department."
"They are paying for water bills, electricity, printing paper, ink, and toner because the schools lack these essential supplies. The pressure falls on the principals," he said.
KZN Education Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: “The matter is continuously being attended to.”