Question no: 1466
Mr D A Kganare (Cope) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) (a) What amount did her department budget for the implementation of the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) and (b) what will it cost her department to implement the recently signed OSD agreement;
(2) What amount (a) did her department budget for the laptop for every educator project and (b) will be spent on this project in the 2009/10 financial year;
(3) Whether any other programmes or projects were cancelled or postponed owing to the implementation of the OSD; if so, (a) which programmes or projects, (b) what was the estimated cost of each of these programmes or projects and (c) what impact will this postponement or cancellation have on delivery of quality education?
Reply:
(1) (a) My department does not budget for personnel costs in provinces. The projected cost for the collective agreement one of 2008, which catered for the establishment of a framework for the OSD for educators in public education amounted to R7 billion, which was made available to provinces through the equitable share.
(b) The projected cost for collective agreement four of 2009 which, caters for the finalisation of matters linked to the OSD in education amounts to R4,135 billion.
(2) (a) R550 million has been projected for the lap top initiative for 2009/10.
(b) Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) who have the resources available in this financial year may cover all educators who are eligible. Those PEDs who did not budget for this item because conclusion of the determination happened late in the financial year may phase in the initiative over two years starting 1 July 2009. My department is in a process of assessing which provinces will implement in the 2009/10 financial year to what amount.
(3) I am not aware of any programmes or projects that have been cancelled or postponed due to the implementation of OSD. The cost of the latest
OSD will be funded from additional funds to be allocated to provinces.
Issued by: Department of Basic Education
25 September 2009
Source: Department of Basic Education (http://www.education.gov.za/)
