Education sector grapples with financial strain from national government underinvestment
ducation sector faces severe financial strain due to a decade of chronic underinvestment by the national government
Image: Supplied
The Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube, revealed that the Education sector is facing severe financial strain due to a decade of chronic underinvestment by the national government.
The Minister indicated that the repeated redirection of public funds to bail out struggling state-owned enterprises, combined with poor financial management at the provincial government level, is also causing severe financial strain in the sector.
This was revealed after the Minister recently initiated the unprecedented review of all nine provinces for the 2024 financial year.
'The education sector is under extraordinary pressure; without urgent intervention and robust financial planning, several provincial education departments risk becoming insolvent before the end of the current financial year. There is no room for complacency," said Gwarube.
Several provinces are experiencing escalating financial challenges, most notably KZN. The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in KZN revealed that the department has collapsed financially. Sadtu provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza indicated that the department owes close to R250 million to the eThekwini Municipality for water delivered by water tankers, as detailed in the municipality's financial report released last month.
The report also showed that the KZN education department has faced serious budget cuts over the past few years and has revealed that it is struggling to meet its obligations. It has emerged that it has not paid all the suppliers of the school nutrition programme and missed salary payments to Grade R teachers, who were expected to be paid in May.
Gwarube said the department has recently met with KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Sipho Nhlamuka, and representatives from the Office of the Premier to discuss the province's mounting challenges. Gwarube said the department is engaging with the National Treasury and other education departments from all affected provinces to explore interventions aimed at addressing their most urgent service delivery challenges.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Ad loading
The minister has assured the public that the department will remain committed to working with both provincial and national stakeholders to shield learners from the worst impacts of the current financial crisis.
"All MECs and Heads of Provincial Education Departments to submit comprehensive plans safeguarding the continuity of education service delivery and addressing irregularities in school personnel management," said Gwarube.
Gwarube is calling on all all MECs and Heads of Department to fully account for their performance in key service delivery areas, by ensuring timely disbursement of statutory school payments, including school allocation, restoration or continuity of basic services at affected public schools, such as electricity, water, security, learner transport, and the National School Nutrition Programme.
IOL News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
KZN premier summoned to appear before portfolio committee
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli has been summoned to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Office of the Premier, Community Safety and Liaison to give clarity on allegations that the youth manager in his office threatened to physically harm the former director general, Dr Nonhlanhla Mkhize. Portfolio Committee chair Mbali Frazer alleges that Mkhize's crime was to refuse to sign off an appointment letter related to the R100-million Youth Fund. ALSO READ: Embattled KZN director-general resigns 'We believe it will be an abdication of our responsibility not to allow the premier of the province to address these serious allegations in an appropriate platform,' said Frazer. 'We have written a letter to him requesting him to appear before the committee. As the committee responsible for playing an oversight role over the executive, we believe such allegations warrant our attention. 'The Office of the Premier has a critical role to play in terms of the co-ordination of the work of provincial government departments on service delivery. The destabilisation of the Office of the Premier in any form, including threats to physically harm a senior female civil servant, should be viewed in a serious light by all leaders of society across all political affiliations,' she said. The ANC Youth League strongly condemns the actions of Premier Thami Ntuli for allegedly shielding perpetrators of violence, particularly gender-based violence (GBV), within his administration. ANCYL KZN Provincial Secretary Lulama Mabude said they are appalled by these allegations. 'We fully support the Youth Fund initiative established by the former ANC premier, Numusa Dube-Ncube, to empower young people to thrive in business and contribute meaningfully to the economy. 'However, we categorically reject the misuse of these funds to benefit non-compliant applicants or those selected based on political affiliation. 'We demand an immediate halt to this process and call for a transparent, merit-based review to ensure funds serve their intended purpose of uplifting KZN's youth,' said Mabude. She added that the youth manager in question is alleged to have pressured Mkhize to approve these funds to benefit his political allies and associates, undermining the integrity of the Youth Fund. 'We will not tolerate government officials perpetuating GBV and escaping accountability. 'South African women and youth live in constant fear due to harassment and abuse, and the premier's office has failed to address these serious allegations,' said Mabude. Attempts to obtain comment from the Office of the Premier were unsuccessful at the time of going to print. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Daily Maverick
Confusion or clarity? Mixed reactions to Gwarube's Bela implementation guidelines
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube's newly released implementation guidelines on school language and admissions policies under the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act has sparked a wave of mixed responses. While some have cautiously welcomed the move as a tactical step forward, others warn that without formal legal status, the guidelines may create more confusion than clarity within the education sector. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube's newly released guidelines for implementing the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act aim to assist provincial education departments in navigating two of the act's most contentious issues: school admissions and language policies. The guidelines also address the new legal mandate that extends compulsory education by an additional year to incorporate Grade R, as well as introduce measures for the increased regulation of home schooling. Approved by the Council of Education Ministers, the guidelines have nonetheless met with a mixed response. According to the new guidelines sections 4 and 5 of the act will undergo thorough public consultation before any government directives can be issued. The guidelines state that a school's language policy must prioritise the best interests of learners, while also taking into account available resources, classroom capacity, and what is offered at surrounding schools. Structured process The government will not be able to impose decisions unilaterally — instead, a structured process must be followed before any changes are made to a school's language or admission policies. School governing bodies, parents, relevant associations, and the broader community in which the school operates will all play a role in these decisions. Under the regulations, before a provincial education head can direct a school to adopt more than one language of instruction, they must first ensure that all public participation requirements outlined in the South African Schools Act are met. These include issuing public notice and allowing for a comment period, during which the school, its governing body, parents, and the community can make informed submissions on the proposed change. A public hearing must also be held with reasonable notice, and stakeholders must be given at least 30 days to submit their input. On admissions, the guidelines advise that if a provincial department wishes to force a school to change policy, the department must allow the school governing body an opportunity to dispute and discuss the change. Education expert Mary Metcalfe has welcomed the guidelines, stating that they align with both the act itself and existing national and provincial norms and standards for admissions and language policy. Metcalfe stated that the Bela Bill already made provision for meaningful public participation from school communities and governing bodies, indicating confidence in the law's inclusivity on this front. On the issue of language policy, she said the guidelines were fully consistent with the Bela Bill and should help enable smoother implementation, particularly as provinces began preparations for the 2026 academic year. 'The planning for the 2026 school year will need to ensure that all provinces provide for the admission of all children who turn six in 2026 — Grade R in all schools for all eligible children,' she said. Concerns raised However, other stakeholders have raised significant concerns about the guidelines' practical impact and legal status. Equal Education Law Centre attorney Ebrahiem Daniels and senior researcher Katherine Sutherland said that, in their preliminary view, the guidelines were non-binding — as they themselves acknowledge — and carry little to no legal weight for provincial education departments. They added that the Department of Basic Education had the authority to issue such guidelines, and did so routinely, from exam protocols to hygiene practices in schools. 'These particular guidelines, in our opinion, add little practical value. They largely restate what is already in Bela in more complicated and convoluted language,' they said. Daniels and Sutherland noted that although the Department of Basic Education acknowledged giving 'key stakeholders' only a short window to review the draft guidelines, citing urgency, it remained unclear how those stakeholders were chosen — and no broad public call for comment was made. 'Civil society organisations currently working in education were not consulted and were not alerted, including ourselves and our social movement partner Equal Education. On top of that, we are aware from consultations with others that they were not either,' they said. From their Equal Education Law Centre understanding, the consultation primarily involved representatives from organisations historically opposed to the language and admissions provisions in the Bela Bill. 'Government sources indicate these same groups were involved in drafting the soon to be released draft norms on school capacity. Many of these stakeholders have, in the past, prioritised maintaining small class sizes in well-resourced public schools over broader equity considerations, even when other schools face overcrowding. 'Our concern is that this recent pattern of favouring stakeholders with clear vested interests may influence the upcoming binding regulations on school capacity, which are far more important than non-binding guidelines,' they said. When asked about the potential for the uneven application of the guidelines across provinces or districts, Daniels and Sutherland said the risk was high, given the significant disparities in administrative capacity, financial resources, and political leadership across provinces. They noted that some provinces may interpret the guidelines in line with political priorities, while others may treat them more strictly or disregard them altogether. They also pointed out that differing apartheid legacies could lead to provinces approaching language and admissions policies in fundamentally different ways. Daniels and Sutherland noted that the guidelines came at a time when schools and education departments urgently needed clarity. However, instead of offering clear, practical direction, the guidelines tended to echo Bela's language while introducing new layers of procedural complexity not found in the legislation. 'The length and complexity issue is particularly problematic. A school principal seeking clarity on admission procedures must now navigate pages of detailed factors, cross-references, and procedural requirements that could have been streamlined into clear decision-making frameworks. The guidelines; convoluted approach may actually hinder rather than help implementation,' they said. 'The irony is that in a purported attempt to provide guidance on the interpretation and implementation of Bela, the minister has created a document that may require its own interpretation.' Sadtu labels guidelines unlawful The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) has condemned Gwarube for releasing what it calls 'purported guidelines', describing the move as arrogant and unlawful. In a media statement, Sadtu said the minister lacked the legal authority to issue such guidelines, pointing out that, under the Constitution, only regulations — not guidelines — could be made in terms of Bela. 'We are yet to understand what legal basis and authority these purported guidelines derive from,' the union said, noting that Gwarube herself admitted the guidelines had no binding or lawful effect. The union also accused the minister of deliberately creating confusion and advancing a political agenda aligned with her party, the Democratic Alliance (DA). Sadtu emphasised that it had fully participated in the lawful development of the Bela regulations, which were concluded at the end of March 2025. However, it said it had seen no progress on the formal release of those regulations since then. The union has urged MECs and education department heads not to distribute the guidelines to schools. It has also called on all school governing bodies and its union members serving on them to disregard the minister's document. The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) voiced concerns over the limited consultation period and the non-binding nature of the guidelines. While acknowledging the value of stakeholder input, spokesperson Basil Manuel warned that the short review window and lack of legal force risked uneven implementation across provinces — particularly on key issues like compulsory Grade R, language policies, admissions, and school governing bodies' roles. Manuel also flagged concerns about the recommendation that Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres provide Grade R and register as independent schools. He noted that many under-resourced centres may struggle to comply without significant provincial support, infrastructure investment, and capacity building. Manuel also reaffirmed Naptosa's commitment to advocating for fair, legally sound policies that guaranteed quality public education for all learners. DM
The Citizen
3 days ago
- The Citizen
PowerBall: Your Chance to Win R53 Million Tonight
All players must be at least 18 years old to participate. The National Lottery aims to create new millionaires through the PowerBall and PowerBall Plus draws on Friday, 20 June. Tonight's total value of the estimated jackpot sits at R53 million. The draw takes place just after 9pm. PowerBall and PowerBall Plus estimated jackpots: PowerBall: R32 million PowerBall Plus: R21 million The last PowerBall draw had the highest amount won, sitting at R56,632.40. Each of the two players won this amount after correctly matching five numbers in the PowerBall Plus draw. ALSO READ: PowerBall and PowerBall Plus results: Tuesday, 17 June 2025 How to play PowerBall? To play PowerBall, a player chooses five numbers between 1 and 50, followed by a PowerBall number between 1 and 20. The system also provides a quick pick selection method where it randomly chooses all the numbers on your behalf. PowerBall tickets are available on selected banking apps; terms and conditions apply. Tickets are available for purchase until 8.30pm on draw days (Tuesday and Friday). Tickets can also be purchased on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 6am to 11.30pm. The national lottery also gives you a chance to win money every day from the daily lotto. The draw takes place every evening just after 9.30pm. Tickets for the Daily Lotto can be purchased every day until 8.30pm. How to play Daily Lotto in SA? If you are buying a ticket in-store: Pick up a bet slip in any lottery store. Choose five numbers between 1 and 36 or ask for a Quick Pick. Entries cost R3 each. You can play a max of R150, but you are allowed to play multiple boards. Select how many consecutive draws you wish to enter, up to a maximum of 10. Leave blank for a single draw. Take your bet slip to the teller to pay for your ticket. Write your details on the back of your ticket in case you need to claim a prize. If you do not sign your ticket, and you lose it, anyone can use it to claim the prize. READ MORE: Daily Lotto results: Thursday, 19 June 2025 If you are playing online: Set up a lottery account here and make a deposit to pay for tickets. Choose five numbers from 1 to 36 or select 'Quick Pick' to generate a random set. Repeat this on as many boards as you want to play. Decide whether to enter a single draw or multiple draws. Confirm and pay for your entry. What happens after winning? Winners receive an SMS from their respective banks with a reference number and further instructions on the documents they should bring when visiting Ithuba. When a player wins less than R250 000, they get their money directly deposited into their bank account if they had used a banking app to play. For the winners who win more than R250 000, they get referred to the lottery operator, Ithuba, for a payout. Free financial and trauma counselling is given to all winners who win above R50 000, tax-free. Players must be at least 18 years old to participate.
