Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube is expected meet with education MECs to discuss planned teacher cuts.
The planned teacher post cuts are expected to top the agenda when Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube meets with education MECs on Friday.
The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga confirmed on Friday that Director-General Mathanzima Mweli met with heads of education departments to discuss the matter.
“The minister will subsequently discuss the issue in a meeting (today) with all MECs. The way forward will be made public thereafter,” said Mhlanga.
The meeting comes as pressure continues to mount on the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) after it announced that about 2 400 teacher posts were on the line when the contracts come to an end in December.
The provincial government had blamed the current state of affairs on the budget cuts imposed by the national government, saying it had done all it could to avoid the situation.
The department noted it had a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion, and that this action was necessary to remain financially stable.
This, however, has not convinced Parliament’s Select Committee on Education, Sciences and Creative Industries chairperson Makhi Feni who accused the WCED of dealing with the matter in an “alarmist manner”.
In a statement, Feni said the matter was “badly timed”.
“It seems we are sacrificing educators for not having funding, which is unfortunate and a worse form of transgression of the labour laws, especially when unemployment in our country is at the levels it is on.
“The correct approach would have been to let the new minister settle in the office and allow her to make these announcements. The minister would normally brief the committee on her plans, and the impact they are likely to have in the sector,” said Feni.
Feni urged the WCED “to hold back on whatever plans they have until the DBE has clarified”.
Also piling pressure on the provincial department was the South African Democratic Teachers Union, which this week made known its intention to go on strike over the proposed cuts.
Education MEC, David Maynier on Thursday called on them to fight alongside the department instead of against it.
“Striking will not change the fact that we are being short changed by the national government, which only provided 64% of the cost of the wage agreement negotiated nationally with unions, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%.
“Even if we cut all the programmes suggested by the teachers’ unions, we would not come anywhere close to dealing with the massive shortfall.”
Cape Times