Cape Town – Education will receive a share of 20% (R254 billion) of government’s consolidated expenditure -- higher than any other sector.
This trend, as seen in previous years, is also the case in Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's Budget Speech, this time around.
The money will be used to increase access to schooling and improve infrastructure in schools, which serve nearly nine million South African children, Minister Gordhan said, adding that government will build 433 new schools over the next three years.
Post schooling education and training accounts for about 21% of the total education spending, with R21 billion set aside for university subsidies and R19 billion for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for bursaries and loans.
Provincial education departments also receive a big portion of the budget to pay teachers’ salaries
More funds for NSFAS
On Wednesday, Minister Gordhan said the allocation to the NSFAS will increase from R5.1 billion poured into the scheme last year, to R6.6 billion in 2016.
This will increase the number of Further Education and Training bursaries to 292 000 and will assist over 236 000 students to attend university in the next three years.
In his speech, the minister noted that access to free education had increased sharply since government introduced no-fee schools in 2007. Today, 60% of schools do not charge fees -- up from 40% five years ago.
According to the Budget Review, five million children had access to free education in 2007. This year, the number increased to 8.8 million. In recent years, there has also been a sharp increase in the number of children who attend Grade R. The national school nutrition programme now feeds 8.7 million children.
The Department of Basic Education’s long term plan to improve the quality of education focuses on literacy, numeracy as well as science and languages. The Funza Lushaka bursary scheme for students wanting to teach in public schools is intended to increase the number of qualified teachers. Last year, more than 3 000 graduates qualified for placement in schools in 2014. – SAnews.gov.za
