Pretoria - The Eastern Cape Education Department has been allocated a large chunk of the provincial budget, which will be invested in achieving excellence in the classroom and improving learning standards.
Presenting the provincial budget of R56.2 billion for 2012/13 financial year and R179 billion for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) in the legislature in Bhisho, MEC for Provincial Planning and Finance, Phumulo Masualle said for the province to prosper and compete successfully, the most important investment in the economy and future will be in the education of children and young people.
The department has been allocated R26.2 billion in 2012/13 totalling R83.1 billion over the MTEF to continue with the roll-out of the School Nutrition Programme, which is benefitting R1.6 million children in Quintiles 1, 2 and 3, funding of "no fee" schools, which is currently at 80 percent, as well as learner teacher support material.
Of the budget, R1 billion will go towards building and renovating schools for the year 2012/13.
Masualle noted that the provincial Education Department was still faced with systemic challenges at administrative level that required commitment from all stakeholders to resolve.
The MEC added that the educational infrastructure to support quality learning and teaching remained a far cry from what was desirable.
"While the 2012 post declaration sought to ensure that there is a qualified educator in front of every learner, realising this remains a challenge. It is important that all the stakeholders in this sector cooperate with each other in finding solutions to these vexing questions in the interest of our learners and indeed our future.
"We intend supporting strong leadership in schools by offering greater autonomy and flexibility for schools that are succeeding and strengthening school governance, this we will do in the context of the intervention as championed by the Minister of Basic Education," said Masualle.
In his State of the Nation Address last month, President Jacob Zuma said the national government interventions in the Eastern Cape were working well. Last year government instituted a Section 100 (1) (b) intervention in the province, in an effort to assist the Department of Education to improve the delivery of education.
Problems included the non-delivery of textbooks, non-payment of scholar transport, excess teachers and a general poor culture of learning and teaching.
Zuma said the implementation of the intervention would continue and called on all stakeholders to work with government to make this turnaround a success.
"We are working well with the province in this regard. We call on all stakeholders to work with us to make this turnaround a success."
