1. |
Allocation
The norms and standards (N&S) allocation for your non Section 21 school for the financial year extending from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 is available on the CEMIS and can be accessed in the following way:
- Log on to the CEMIS.
- Select "Public Ordinary".
- Select your school.
- Click "Proceed". Point to the "Administration" menu item and click on "Norms and Standards Allocation". Select N&S 2014.
- Print the page.
Your attention is drawn to the following:
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1.1 |
Allocations are calculated in accordance with the prescripts in paragraphs 108 to 113 of the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF) in Government Gazette 29179, dated 31 August 2006. |
1.2 |
The allocation letter includes the allocation for 2014-15, as well as provisional allocations for the next two financial years, i.e. 2015-16 and 2016-17. All allocations were calculated on the enrolment figure as on 31 July 2013. |
1.3 |
The funds allocated in terms of this circular must be spent by 31 March 2015. |
2.1 |
Schools charging school fees
Non Section 21 schools must, before 28 February 2014, divide their N&S allocation for the financial year ending 31 March 2015 into the four categories, namely learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), local purchases, municipal services and maintenance, on the WCED 032 form. On receipt of the completed WCED 032 form, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) will scrutinize the budgets. Schools will be informed if their forms are incorrect and will be requested to submit revised WCED 032 forms.
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2.2.1 |
For non Section 21 schools, 20% of the total N&S allocation, deemed to be the annual income from school fees, will be paid over to the schools in April-May 2014 and 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 2015, when the payment will be received for the next financial year. The remaining N&S allocation for the financial year ending 31 March 2015 must be divided into the four categories on form WCED 032 before 28 February 2014 (see paragraph 2.1 and 3.1 in this regard). |
2.2.2 |
In addition, the transfer payments to all non Section 21 schools for maintenance and for municipal services (for those schools who pay their own municipal accounts) will be paid as follows: 50% of the budgeted amounts will be paid in April-May 2014 and the remaining 50% in November 2014. |
3.1 |
The N&S allocation is intended primarily for learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), local purchases, municipal services, essential day-to-day maintenance of school buildings, grounds and equipment (non-scheduled maintenance) and other everyday expenses. Own income, as intended in paragraph 6, must first be used to cover shortfalls in the above regard before it is used to finance governing body posts.
It is suggested that schools divide their available allocation as follows among the various expenditure categories:
- 50% for LTSM orders for 2015, 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
The shifting of funds on the WCED 032 should be finalised by 30 September 2014.
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3.1.1 |
Learning and teaching support material (LTSM)
- The Department of Basic Education (DBE) defines LTSM as any material that supports and facilitates teaching and learning directly in the classroom or at home (homework). It includes the following:
- Textbooks, readers, reference books, prescribed works, atlases and dictionaries
- Workbooks
- Posters, maps and wall charts
- Educational board games
- Library material (fiction and non-fiction), reference books, posters, and recordings on videos, DVDs, audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, multi-media, etc.
- Computer software and licensing
- Resource material for teachers, learners, classroom and library
- Schools are required to use their full LTSM allocation to purchase LTSM that will enrich and strengthen the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in their classes. Schools are therefore encouraged to use their LTSM allocation to purchase supplementary textbooks, prescribed works, atlases, dictionaries, workbooks, posters, maps, wall charts, educational board games, library material (fiction and non-fiction), reference books, recorded videos, DVDs, audio cassettes, CDs, CD-ROMs, computer software, and home economics and science laboratory equipment.
- Subject to the following conditions, schools may assign less money to LTSM if-
- each learner in the school has a textbook for each subject and access to other LTSM resources;
- the school has annually allocated 10% of the LTSM allocation for the purchasing of library material to augment the library stock and the total number of items in the library stock now constitutes the minimum international standard of 10 items per learner; and
- the governing body has taken a formal decision regarding this deviation. (This decision of the governing body regarding the budget, which must be submitted at a parents' meeting, must be explained and the amount spent per learner on LTSM must be provided. This decision must be put before the parents' meeting, whether the IMG manager supports it or not.)
- How to obtain LTSM
- Non Section 21 schools must follow the prescribed procedures in Annexure A.
- In line with Provincial Treasury instructions, the WCED will advertise the LTSM requests of all non Section 21 schools on the Integrated Procurement Solution (IPS), Sourcelink, which is managed by Ariba. This system allows for competitive bidding in accordance with the legislations promulgated in terms of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act, 2000 (Act 5 of 2000).
- Schools must select all top-up LTSM from the approved national catalogues that are available on the WCED website at http://wcedonline.pgwc.gov/branchPS/LTSM/index.html
- For assistance in selecting school library material, schools should contact Mrs Theresa de Young, EDULIS Co-ordinator: School Library Services, at tel. 021 957 9638. The education district's school library adviser and/or resource centre co-ordinator may also be contacted regarding the development of school libraries.
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3.1.2 |
Municipal Services
- The N&S allocation to schools is intended for the payment of, amongst others, schools monthly municipal services accounts, which includes electricity, water, sewage 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.
- A few schools have indicated that they do not wish to manage their own municipal services and their accounts will still be paid by the relevant district offices. The district offices will provide each school with copies of its accounts each month for examination, and for confirmation that the accounts are correct. The WCED 032 amount represents what the WCED will be liable for and this will be used to pay municipal services. Schools will be liable for the payment of any municipal expenses incurred in excess of what was budgeted for.
- Non Section 21 schools must calculate, using their past expenditure plus inflation adjustments, the amount they reserve for municipal services and indicate it on the WCED 032 form. This amount and the funds for maintenance will be paid simultaneously to those schools that accepted the function.
- Schools must still implement, amongst others, the savings measures indicated in
Annexure B.
- 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.
- Where it is established that schools are not settling their municipal service accounts, the WCED reserves the right to withhold funds from the N&S allocation to pay outstanding municipal service accounts on behalf of the schools concerned.
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3.1.3 |
Day-to-day maintenance
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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3.2 |
Schools must indicate the allocations for the maintenance of buildings, grounds and equipment as a single amount on the WCED 032 form. |
3.3 |
Where non Section 21 schools exceed their N&S allocations, for whatever reasons, the WCED will recover any overspending from the following financial year's N&S allocation to the school. This should, however, not be viewed as encouraging schools to exceed their N&S allocations. |
4. |
The N&S allocation may not be used for the following:
- Remuneration of governing body employed personnel
- New buildings
- Hostel expenditure
- Loans to individuals or other institutions
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5. |
Major emergency repairs
In terms of paragraph 97 of the NNSSF, 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:
CATEGORY A Serious damage as a result of natural disasters, structural problems and fires
The WCED will accept responsibility for such emergency repairs only if the cost exceeds R5 000 and provided that sufficient funds are available.
The WCED will, at its own discretion, consider making a transfer payment for the materials in relatively less serious cases
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6. |
Own income
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.
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7.1 |
The approved budget of the school must be submitted to the relevant district office by 1 December of each year. |
7.2 |
All schools must submit a WCED 043 form (quarterly report) to the relevant district office within 30 days of the end of each quarter (expenditure up until 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December). Funds will be paid over to schools only if satisfactory WCED 043 reports on the financial activities of previous quarters have been received. Furthermore, Section 43(5) of the SASA requires schools to submit (for the attention of the relevant education district director) a copy of their audited set of financial statements for the previous financial year by 30 June of each year. |
8.1 |
The SGB must exercise proper control over revenue and expenditure, as set out in the Manual: Basic Financial System for Schools, issued by the Head of Department in terms of Section 38(1) of the SASA. Should the members of the SGB not have the necessary expertise to carry out this function, they must co-opt someone who will be able to assist them. |
8.2 |
All school funds, obtained both from the state allocation and own income, must be used for purposes directly connected with education, as stated in Section 37(6) of SASA, including the acquisition of LTSM. In terms of WCED policy, textbooks and readers may not be photocopied as this is tantamount to the infringement of the Copyright Act, 1978 (Act 98 of 1978). |
8.3 |
The WCED has the right to inspect records relating to school funds and to act against any member of staff or the SGB should he or she be involved in the mismanagement of school funds. Schools must, therefore, keep all proof of income and expenditure for this purpose. |
8.4 |
The WCED will implement Circular 0044/2013 from January 2014 by assessing the school’s data on the CEMIS and verifying if the data status is compliant or non-compliant before transferring the second payment for Norms and Standards during November. |
9. |
Application for Section 21 status
Applications to change from non Section 21 status to Section 21 status must be submitted before 31 January 2014 on the attached application form (Annexure C). Successful schools will receive Section 21 status only from the beginning of the following financial year, i.e. with effect from 1 April 2014.
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10. |
Appeals
The WCED will review all school learner enrolments with a variance in excess of 7% and where learner enrolments, based on the 2014 10th Day Survey, show an increase or decrease by more than 7% at the beginning of the new (2014) school year, as compared to the 2013 learner enrolment as on 31 July 2013 figure, the N&S allocations of the schools concerned will be adjusted accordingly. Revised allocation letters will be published on CEMIS by 31 March 2014.
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11. |
2013-14 allocation
The funds allocated to schools in terms of Circular 0009/2013 must be spent by schools before 31 March 2014.
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12. |
Contact numbers for enquiries
Subject |
Name |
Telephone no. |
WCED 043 quarterly reports and audited annual financial statements |
Education district office – Deputy Director: Corporate Services |
Applicable district office |
Submission of WCED 032 (Classification of N&S allocation) |
Ms P Philips |
021 467 2326 |
Purchase of LTSM (WCED 034) and local purchases (WCED 026). All Non-Section 21 schools |
Mr B Le Keur |
021 467 2094 |
Transfer payments to schools (N&S allocations) |
Mr M Draai Ms L Shasha |
021 467 2005 021 467 2770 |
Emergency repairs |
Mr G Meyer |
021 467 2983 |
e-Learning EDULIS Co-ordinator: School Library Services |
Mr O Sadeck Ms T de Young |
021 467 2351 021 957 9638 |
General enquiries: Norms and standards |
Mr L van Wyk |
021 467 2658 Fax no. 086 293 5822 |
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SIGNED: LJ ELY
ACTING HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2013:11:21
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