Rapid School Build receives a vote of confidence from National Treasury

We are delighted that the National Treasury has made an additional provisional allocation of R2.549 billion to our Rapid School Build programme in the Western Cape, following our application for funding through the national Budget Facility for Infrastructure.

This provisional allocation over three financial years is a massive vote of confidence by National Treasury for our Rapid School Build programme.

Learners are already in class in brand new schools and classrooms in Belhar, Kwanokuthula, and Fisherhaven this year as a result of the programme, which is building new schools faster than ever before in poor communities where the demand for placement is the highest.

The provisional funding is specifically allocated to building new schools that will expand the number of school places available in our province, in areas that have larger class sizes and a high demand for placement.

Our department submitted a rigorous application for the funding in July 2023, competing against other departments and projects across the country. National Treasury has provisionally approved an allocation of R251 million in 2024/25, R1.048 billion in 2025/26, and R1.25 billion in 2026/27.

While this is not the entire amount we applied for, the funding will go a long way to providing certainty and stability in our infrastructure programme over the next three years.

The allocation is provisional, and dependent on further technical work by our department over the coming month. We have been able to demonstrate our ability to effectively spend infrastructure funding, which is crucial factor in receiving the funds.

We thank our department officials, and the Provincial Treasury, for their excellent work that has resulted in our application’s success.

The additional infrastructure funding allocation will help to stabilise our plans for new schools over the medium term and expand access to quality education in the Western Cape!

Statement issued by David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Education, 22 February 2024