EASTERN Cape education department will spend more than 80% of its R26.9-billion budget for the 2013-14 financial year on paying its employees.
Delivering his policy speech at the Bhisho Legislature, education MEC Mandla Makupula revealed R21.9-billion has been prioritised for employee salaries, while R5-billion will be spent on other budget items.
Makupula announced 252 schools will be provided with water, 40 schools will be electrified and 351 schools will be given sanitation facilities at a total cost of R349.3-million.
He added R1.5-million has been set aside to evaluate the decentralised community-based school nutrition programme.
The programme currently feds more than 1.7 million children a year.
“The implementation of the decentralised community based model for the school nutrition programme has completed two years and therefore it is important the department at this stage conducts evaluation on its functionality to determine whether challenges previously experienced are being addressed.
“This will be our major focus for this financial year and this exercise will be completed by August 2013 in order to inform planning for the following financial year,” Makupula said.
He further announced R446-million has been put aside to integrate Grade R into primary schools.
As part of the out-of-court settlement between the department and School Governing Bodies (SGB), Makupula announced a total amount of R21.6-million has so far been paid back to SGBs for posts dating back several years.
He said more than 360 applications were approved from 332 schools. First payments will be made in April.
“ I again call on school principals and communities with shortages of teachers to continue to arrange with the department with respect to their needs and to engage with their nearest district offices for urgent intervention.
“The response to these shortages are being urgently managed through the placement of existing additional educators and, if need be, as a short term measure through the appointment of temporary educators within the limited available budget of the department.”
Makupula also touched on the procurement of all Learner Teacher Support Materials (LTSM) of which the department managed to deliver 90% to schools ahead of the start of the 2013 academic year. —
R21.9bn for EC education salaries
Delivering his policy speech at the Bhisho Legislature, education MEC Mandla Makupula revealed R21.9-billion has been prioritised for employee salaries, while R5-billion will be spent on other budget items.
Makupula announced 252 schools will be provided with water, 40 schools will be electrified and 351 schools will be given sanitation facilities at a total cost of R349.3-million.
He added R1.5-million has been set aside to evaluate the decentralised community-based school nutrition programme.
The programme currently feds more than 1.7 million children a year.
“The implementation of the decentralised community based model for the school nutrition programme has completed two years and therefore it is important the department at this stage conducts evaluation on its functionality to determine whether challenges previously experienced are being addressed.
“This will be our major focus for this financial year and this exercise will be completed by August 2013 in order to inform planning for the following financial year,” Makupula said.
He further announced R446-million has been put aside to integrate Grade R into primary schools.
As part of the out-of-court settlement between the department and School Governing Bodies (SGB), Makupula announced a total amount of R21.6-million has so far been paid back to SGBs for posts dating back several years.
He said more than 360 applications were approved from 332 schools. First payments will be made in April.
“ I again call on school principals and communities with shortages of teachers to continue to arrange with the department with respect to their needs and to engage with their nearest district offices for urgent intervention.
“The response to these shortages are being urgently managed through the placement of existing additional educators and, if need be, as a short term measure through the appointment of temporary educators within the limited available budget of the department.”
Makupula also touched on the procurement of all Learner Teacher Support Materials (LTSM) of which the department managed to deliver 90% to schools ahead of the start of the 2013 academic year. —
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos