Details of the Norms and Standards (N&S) allocation for your school for the financial year extending from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 are published on CEMIS. Schools can access them in the following way:

• Log on to CEMIS.
• There is a message on one of the opening display screens that recommends the procedure.
• Click "Proceed". Point to the "Administration" menu item on CEMIS and click on "Norms and Standards Allocation"
• Please print the page.

Your attention is drawn to the following:

According to paragraph 109 of the NNSSF, the provincial education departments must use the national poverty distribution table (poverty table) to determine how the targeted amounts are to be allocated in each province. The amended table below indicates the percentage of learners in the Western Cape that may be placed in the various national quintiles (NQs).

Schools will receive their N&S allocation for the 2012/13 financial year in two instalments, namely 60% in April/May 2012 and 40% in November 2012. Section 21 schools must use their first transfer payment (60%), which will be made during April/May 2012, to purchase their 2013 LTSM so that it is available before the end of September 2012, and to pay for other expenses, as stipulated in paragraph 3.1 below. The second transfer payment (40%), which will be made during November 2012, must be used to cover appropriate school-related expenses up to the end of the State’s financial year, i.e. 31 March 2013.

20% of the total N&S allocation for Section 21 schools that is paid over in April/May 2012 (see paragraph above) must be reserved for expenditure previously covered by school fees. Schools will be informed of this amount in the N&S allocation letter. It must be borne in mind that this amount must sustain the school until April 2013, when the payment will be received for the next financial year.

It is suggested that schools divide their available allocation as follows among the various expenditure categories:

• 50% for LTSM orders for 2013, of which 10% should be targeted for library material. Each learner must have a textbook for each subject. The stock of school library material should be augmented annually until the total number of items reflects the minimum international standard of 10 items per learner. See paragraph 3.1.1 below for the list of items included under LTSM.
• 24% for municipal services. However, schools may budget for a larger percentage if expenditure tendencies necessitate this.
• 6% for maintenance.
• 20% for local purchases.

1. The N&S allocation to schools is intended for the payment of, amongst others, schools monthly municipal services’ accounts, e.g. electricity, water, sewerage and refuse removal (availability and usage charges), but excludes the payment of property tax. As in the past, the State will pay the property tax on property registered in the name of the RSA.
2. Schools must still implement, amongst others, the savings measures indicated in
   Annexure A.
3. ESKOM and most municipalities have indicated they can make prepaid electricity meters available to schools. This will enable schools to better control their electricity consumption.
4. Where it is established that schools are not settling their municipal service accounts, WCED reserves the right to withhold funds from the N&S allocation to pay outstanding municipal service accounts on behalf of the school concerned.

1. Day-to-day maintenance applies to the maintenance of grounds, cleaning, renovations, repairs and/or replacement of parts of school buildings. Regular maintenance must be carried out to prevent deterioration of school buildings and emergency repairs resulting from neglect.
2. Where the N&S allocation for day-to-day maintenance is insufficient, schools are expected to supplement the allocation from their own school funds, where necessary. Schools must budget for their day-to-day maintenance repairs in accordance with the condition of the school building and grounds. The N&S allocation for day-to-day maintenance may be insufficient. In such cases, schools should supplement the allocation from school funds, where applicable.
3. Schools should set aside a budget amount from their annual day-to-day maintenance allocation for the maintenance of equipment used to enhance the appearance of the school grounds, e.g. servicing the lawnmower, purchasing paint for benches on the school grounds, and purchasing lime and fertiliser.
4. N&S allocations may not be used for day-to-day repairs to hostels. Such repairs should be funded from the learners’ boarding fees and bursaries.

In terms of paragraph 97 of the NNSSF, the WCED accepts responsibility for major emergency repairs to buildings, subject to the availability of funds budgeted for such eventualities. The following repairs will be considered according to the procedures in Circular 175/2000:

In terms of Section 36(1) of the South African Schools Act (SASA), 1996 (Act 84 of 1996) school governing bodies (SGBs) must take all reasonable steps to supplement the resources supplied by the State in order to improve the quality of education provided by the school to all learners at the school. Although no-fee schools may not charge compulsory school fees (including registration fees), they are encouraged to seek voluntary contributions and engage in fundraising activities.

WCED will review all school learner enrolments in excess of 7% and where learner enrolments, based on the 2012 10th day survey, show an increase or decrease by more than 7%, at the beginning of the new (2012) school year compared to the 2011 ASS enrolment, the N&S allocations of the schools concerned will be adjusted for the learners in excess of 7%, and revised allocation letters will be sent to schools by March 2012

All outstanding WCED 043 forms for Section 21 schools must be submitted before Monday, 29 February 2012, to prevent forfeiture of unpaid funds.