WESTERN CAPE MEC Cameron Dugmore announced today that the province's R6.5 billion education budget constitutes 30,4 percent of the overall budget of the Western Cape Government, and represents an increase of 10,05%. This is a massive investment in building the human capital necessary, in pursuit of a learning home for all.

In his second Budget Speech today (Tuesday 26 April 2005) since assuming office a year ago, MEC Dugmore outlined the state of education in the province - reflecting both on achievements and remaining challenges and the direction for education in the next few years.

He listed gains recorded in the first year as follows:

• Completion of the new school building and relocation of learners from the Usasazo High School in Maitland to Khayelitsha.

• Supplying electricity to all our schools

• the relatively smooth start to the 2005 school year as a result of an Early Admissions Campaign;

• resolution of most of the "hot-spot" areas for learner accommodation; and

• not only averting retrenchment of 1,800 teachers, but also securing an additional 365 posts.

• The tabling of the provincial 2005/06 budget and the Medium Term Expenditure Framework which provides for the allocation of R20.3 billion over the next three years to education , creating greater stability

In addition, MEC Dugmore said: "We were also set new April delivery targets by the Premier and have made progress in regard to these:

• Start-up kits for 30 Grade R sites in poor areas

• 80 Bursaries for Maths and Science Teachers

• Sod turning for seven new schools

• 320 schools to have computer labs

On some of the challenges, MEC Dugmore indicated the most pressing priorities as literacy and numeracy development; the building of more schools; and transformation of the education sector. He cited the department's ECD strategy as critical to developing literacy and numeracy.

Said MEC Dugmore: "As far as Grade R is concerned, we plan to ensure that every five-year-old in the province has access to quality Grade R teaching by 2010, in terms of our Human Capital Development Strategy. There are currently about 52,000 children in Grade R classes in the Western Cape. This means that we have to expand access to about 30,000 children over the next five years, at a rate of about 5,000 additional learners per annum. I am pleased to report that we reached this target in 2004 and 2005, and that we are on track for reaching our 2010 target."

He paid particular attention to the challenge of ensuring a safe learning environment, especially after the recent spate of violent incidents affecting both learners and educators. He has announced a comprehensive review of the Safe Schools programme, and vowed that the department will do everything it can to ensure the safety of learners and teachers. However, he has asked that communities must also get involve.

Some initiatives already underway, includes:

• A detailed plan to improve school infrastructure to ensure a safer environment;

• Co-ordinated procurement of security companies who currently provide services to individual schools;

• Petitioning the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula in terms of the Firearms Act to declare public state schools as gun free zones - we are starting immediately with 50 identified hot-spot schools.

MEC Dugmore said a great deal of work lies ahead in terms of meeting the challenges head on and ensuring that the department finalize and implement the Human Capital Strategy. "I call on Members of this House and every member of the department, our parents, teachers and learners and partners to join hands in making sure that we indeed build a learning home for all in the Western Cape."

Read the 2005 Budget Speech

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi: 082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.