POLITICS

1 143 new WCape teaching posts for 2023 academic year – David Maynier

Minister says details of the distribution of these posts are still to be finalised

1 143 new Western Cape teaching posts for the 2023 academic year  

4 August 2022

We have completed the first part of our stakeholder consultations for the year, and we are pleased to announce that we are now in a position to appoint up to 1 143 teachers in 2023.

Last month, I met with stakeholders as part of the Annual Consultation process according to the provisions of the Employment of Educators’ Act, and shared the news that the Basket of Affordable Posts for teachers will be increased by 1 143 posts for 2023.

This increased allocation will allow for the appointment of up to 1 143 additional teachers to the current staff of the Western Cape Education Department.

The details of the distribution of these posts are still to be finalised as part of the stakeholder consultation process.

This is a much-needed boost to our system. In previous years, our budget has allowed us to only expand by as little as 6 additional posts, as seen in 2016, with increases thereafter.

What this increase does is to put us in a better position to expand learning opportunities and deliver quality education in the Western Cape.

Year

Basket Growth

2016

32 039 - increased by 6

2017

32 320 - increased by 281

2018

32 894 - increased by 574

2019

33 436 - increased by 542

2020

33 865 - increased by 429

2021

33 865 - no decrease

2021 - Adjusted 1 April

34 384 - increased by 519

2022

34 974 - increased by 590

2022 - Adjusted 1 April

35 274 - increased by 300

2023

36 417 - increased by 1 143

 

Once we have finalised our engagements with education stakeholders regarding the distribution of the posts, we will be able to inform schools of their teacher allocation for 2023. This is scheduled to be communicated by the end of August 2022, which will give schools the opportunity to plan ahead for the 2023 school year.

We thank the team from the Department that has worked hard to make this happen, as well as the Provincial Treasury, who have been working closely together with us. The extra budget allocation we received this year has made this increase to the Basket of Posts possible

Our principals, teachers, and staff are our greatest asset, and they are always willing and able to share their experience and knowledge with those joining our schools through our new post allocations.

I thank them for their hard work this year, and I have no doubt that we will continue to see the excellence in teaching that our province is well known for.

Issued by Kerry Mauchline, Spokesperson to Minister David Maynier, 4 August 2022