The jobs of thousands of education officials may be on the line if Bhisho forges ahead with plans to reduce the number of districts.
Provincial education acting head Ray Tywakadi presented a report with cost implications of reducing the number of districts from 23 to 15, 12 or eight at the Bhisho legislature’s portfolio committee on education on Tuesday.
According to the report, 15 and 12 districts would cost just over R2.2-billion for personnel, while 11 would cost more than R1-billion.
It did not provide the current personnel spend for 23 districts.
Teachers, paid R21-billion out of a R29.4-billion budget in 2015-16, will not be affected.
About 80% of the department’s budget is spent on salaries.
DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren said yesterday that the committee had agreed that 15 districts was a possible number, but there would be consultations with principals and other stakeholders.
Van Vuuren said a large portion of the 19000 officials, who included education development officers, might be affected. “About 70% are likely to be retained but others will lose their jobs.”
He said some could be moved to other departments. “There are those who are just working and not knowing what they are doing in the department.”
Van Vuuren said the department would be streamlined and a new organogram introduced.
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said it was too early to talk about numbers.
“The model will be followed by an organogram. We are in that process. I think with all things considered, it will be clear if there will be job losses or not.”
He said the plan would be communicated to treasury, the provincial cabinet and the department of public service and administration once there was buy-in from stakeholders.
The overhaul was aimed at bringing services closer to schools, he added.
The process would ensure decentralised services at fully-fledged circuit offices and capable staff at districts.
“The head office will deal with strategic and policy matters,” Pulumani explained.
UDM chief whip MPL Thando Mpulu said the model would have an element of rationalisation.
“It might affect other people. The current structure is bloated and has to be reduced to ensure efficiencies. This will allow people to compete and bring out the best skills from the current staff.”
He said he did not think the net effect would be job losses but rather optimisation of skills.
National Education Health and Allied Worker’s Union provincial secretary Xolani Malamlela said the union supported the reduction of districts.
“But as long as there are no job losses in the process – that’s the bottom line.”
He said the union had indicated that a steering committee should be formed to look into the model, but that was the extent of the consultation they had demanded.
Provincial South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) administrator Chris Mdingi said the union did not support reducing districts because this would, among other things, result in teachers having to travel long distances to get assistance.
He said a reference group had been formed but no meeting had yet been held.
“We will be in a better position to comment once we know how many districts will be there and check how this will inconvenience teachers,” Mdingi said. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
Education mulls district cull
Provincial education acting head Ray Tywakadi presented a report with cost implications of reducing the number of districts from 23 to 15, 12 or eight at the Bhisho legislature’s portfolio committee on education on Tuesday.
According to the report, 15 and 12 districts would cost just over R2.2-billion for personnel, while 11 would cost more than R1-billion.
It did not provide the current personnel spend for 23 districts.
Teachers, paid R21-billion out of a R29.4-billion budget in 2015-16, will not be affected.
About 80% of the department’s budget is spent on salaries.
DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren said yesterday that the committee had agreed that 15 districts was a possible number, but there would be consultations with principals and other stakeholders.
Van Vuuren said a large portion of the 19000 officials, who included education development officers, might be affected. “About 70% are likely to be retained but others will lose their jobs.”
He said some could be moved to other departments. “There are those who are just working and not knowing what they are doing in the department.”
Van Vuuren said the department would be streamlined and a new organogram introduced.
Education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said it was too early to talk about numbers.
“The model will be followed by an organogram. We are in that process. I think with all things considered, it will be clear if there will be job losses or not.”
He said the plan would be communicated to treasury, the provincial cabinet and the department of public service and administration once there was buy-in from stakeholders.
The overhaul was aimed at bringing services closer to schools, he added.
The process would ensure decentralised services at fully-fledged circuit offices and capable staff at districts.
“The head office will deal with strategic and policy matters,” Pulumani explained.
UDM chief whip MPL Thando Mpulu said the model would have an element of rationalisation.
“It might affect other people. The current structure is bloated and has to be reduced to ensure efficiencies. This will allow people to compete and bring out the best skills from the current staff.”
He said he did not think the net effect would be job losses but rather optimisation of skills.
National Education Health and Allied Worker’s Union provincial secretary Xolani Malamlela said the union supported the reduction of districts.
“But as long as there are no job losses in the process – that’s the bottom line.”
He said the union had indicated that a steering committee should be formed to look into the model, but that was the extent of the consultation they had demanded.
Provincial South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) administrator Chris Mdingi said the union did not support reducing districts because this would, among other things, result in teachers having to travel long distances to get assistance.
He said a reference group had been formed but no meeting had yet been held.
“We will be in a better position to comment once we know how many districts will be there and check how this will inconvenience teachers,” Mdingi said. — msindisif@dispatch.co.za
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