AfriForum condemns cutting of subsidies to Gauteng quintile 5 schools – demands greater autonomy
AfriForum condemns the drastic reduction in subsidies paid by the Gauteng Department of Education to quintile 5 schools, as well as the cutting of departmental posts at these schools. In a letter sent to the MEC of Education in Gauteng, Matome Chiloane, AfriForum demands that a discussion about more autonomy for schools that bear the largest percentage of their budget themselves, should now begin in earnest.
According to Alana Bailey, AfriForum’s Head of Cultural Affairs, the cost-cutting measures will definitely have a negative impact on the quality of education in the schools concerned. Fuller classrooms and less individual attention to learners will be some of the consequences of this step.
“It is no secret that there are budgetary challenges nationwide, but that parents are increasingly expected to contribute to schools’ expenses, while their powers are increasingly being pared back and centralised in the hands of provincial authorities, is unacceptable. AfriForum proposes a model where schools that can function financially independently are given the freedom to decide for themselves about the ethos, curriculum and management of the school, while schools that are more dependent on the authorities are helped to develop towards independence,” she says.
Bailey emphasises that the proposal for this new model has been made to the authorities for years – including as part of the comments submitted on the Bela Bill. “The present budget deficits have been anticipated for years, as has the increasing power hunger of the authorities. With the implementation of Bela, the financial demands only increase because provision must now be made for Grade R as a compulsory school year. All of this is evidence of poor planning and once again it is the school-going youth and their parents who have to bear the brunt,” she adds.
AfriForum’s legal team is also currently investigating the cuts to determine whether any legal action is possible to overturn decisions in this regard.
