MEC David Maynier on fighting for teachers in the Western Cape

29 August 2024

Yesterday, our Head of Department, Brent Walters, wrote to schools to inform them that, due to severe budget cuts, we will not be able to maintain the current number of educator posts in the Western Cape.

We are doing everything we can to fight for our teachers, but we are being short-changed by the national government, receiving only 64% of the cost of the nationally negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%, resulting in a massive budget shortfall of R3.8 billion.

We have done everything we can to fight for our teachers by imposing budget cuts across the board, including on administration, curriculum and infrastructure.

We have also frozen the recruitment of most public service staff, encouraged schools to convert contract appointments, and restricted the appointment of substitute teachers. 
                                    
Despite implementing a drastic R2.5 billion budget cut, we still face a R3.8 billion budget shortfall over the next three years.

To remain fiscally stable, we will have no choice but to reduce the Basket of Educator Posts by approximately 2 400 posts in 2025.

Teachers are our greatest asset, and reducing the number of teachers in our schools will negatively impact learning outcomes, so this is a decision that we have not taken lightly.

We are going to take the circumstances of schools into account when determining the allocation of educator posts.

This process is still underway, and the Department is communicating with schools this week before they receive their staff post allocations for 2025.

We have been engaging with teacher unions on this matter and we sincerely hope that they will join our fight for our teachers.

We are doing everything we can to fight for our teachers, and have raised the matter at the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) for urgent action, because these budget shortfalls impact all the provinces.

We should never have been put in this position, and we will do everything we can to fight for our teachers in the Western Cape.

Issued by Tania Colyn, Acting Spokesperson to Minister David Maynier, 30 August 2024