WCED receives increased budget for 2022/23
11 April 2022
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On 30 March 2022, Minister Debbie Schäfer tabled the Western Cape Education budget for the 2022/23 financial year. The Department received a significant increase in funding for the year, increasing by R2.2 billion to a total budget of R28.03 billion.
Key highlights from the budget speech include:
- Allocating R2.5 billion to infrastructure, which will allow the Department to put projects that had to be suspended by budget cuts back on the table, like the establishment of a high school in Darling;
- Providing funding for an additional 329 public service posts to reduce the administrative burdens that our schools face, and over 1 000 teacher posts (subject to union consultation) to reduce overcrowding in schools;
- Spending R533.91 million to fund the employment of assistants at our schools in support of our school staff, to deliver quality education;
- Offering 160 fee-paying schools catering for learners from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to become no-fee schools from 1 January 2023, in recognition of their true socio-economic context;
- Allocating an additional R68.72 million to the Foundation Phase priority, to address the learning losses experienced during the pandemic;
- Making an additional R170 million investment in blended learning; and
- Transferring the responsibility for Early Childhood Development from the Department of Social Development to the WCED.
The Minister highlighted the work the department is doing to expand learning opportunities in STEAMAC subjects, special needs education, and skills education – an important part of the Western Cape Recovery Plan.
She also took the opportunity to thank every member of the department for what they do, including teachers and principals, who have to deal with challenging circumstances almost every day.