The Minister of Basic Education held an impromptu engagement with representatives from all 5 teacher unions on the sidelines of the Department of Basic Education’s Strategic Planning session in Pretoria.
The meeting focused on the urgent issue of budget cuts affecting the education sector.
The Minister briefed unions on the special meeting of the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), which she convened to assess the impact of the budget cuts on the country’s basic education system. She informed the union representatives that CEM will reconvene to hear from provincial education departments about their analysis of how these cuts will impact their respective provinces. This meeting is set to take place this week: The provincial analysis reports will form the basis of the Minister’s discussions with National Treasury and the Minister of Finance.
“ I am working very hard to ensure we have a full understanding of the impact of the budget cuts in the sector. I am determined to work with Treasury to ensure that we cushion the blow on frontline services in the sector. Additionally, we must place data-driven evidence before my Cabinet colleague the Minister of Finance and to find innovative ways to avoid further cuts to the education budget but to explore ways to do more with less” said Minister Gwarube
The teacher unions welcomed the Minister’s openness and transparency by engaging them on this critical matter. They in turn also emphasized the importance of ensuring the timely transfer of grants and funding to provinces, which is crucial for the smooth functioning of schools and the continued delivery of quality education.
Unions expressed their support for the Minister’s interventions to safeguard the sector and agreed with her stance that the Department of Basic Education should be the last place where budget cuts are implemented. They also expressed their support for the Minister’s ongoing efforts to engage with National Treasury to protect the sector from the worst effects of the country's financial challenges.
The Minister reassured the unions of her continued commitment to protecting the basic education sector from further financial strain and to working closely with all stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of South Africa’s basic education system.
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