'Children's future at risk'

EDUCATION BUDGET CUTS: NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING MINISTER

- Vhahangwele Nemakonde

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says seven provinces will not be able to sustain education spending at current levels in the 2027-28 financial year because of the department's budget pressures.

The provinces are scrambling to cut some programmes in a bid to save others.

In the Western Cape, the department has decided to reduce teaching posts for 2025. The number of pupils will increase.

Over the past five years, the number of pupils has increased by about 292 820 nationally.

Other provinces are working to avoid cutting budgets for key services like textbooks, administration support and scholar transport.

"These budget pressures are not just numbers on a spreadsheet," said Gwarube yesterday.

"It translates into fewer teachers, less textbooks and administration support staff, which means teachers spend more time on administration, thereby reducing teaching time.