FINANCE Minister Pravin Gordhan has once again increased spending on education as has been the trend over the past 15 years.
Yesterday Gordhan said that spending on education would grow from R207-billion in 2012-13 to R236-billion in 2014-15. This includes R18.8-billion that will be spent in the medium term towards expanding pupil subsidies in no-fees schools and expanded access to Grade R.
Gordhan also announced that R300-million was allocated for the establishment of two new universities.
He said the money was for "planning and structure" and further money would be allocated whenever the need arose.
But despite these huge amounts of money there is still unhappiness about how the funds are used.
On Tuesday - a day before Pravin's budget speech - members of Equal Education picketed outside Parliament to demand minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure. A memorandum of demands was also handed to the National Treasury.
The organisation said it was concerned about misspending in school infrastructure.
In terms of infrastructure spending the total expenditure at the end of December 2011 was at 64% of the adjusted budget of more than R9-billion.
The Eastern Cape education department spent only 28% of its budget compared to the expected outcome of 75% at the end of the third quarter.
North West and the Northern Cape spent 51% and 56% respectively.
Limpopo and Mpumalanga spent above the expected level at 88% and 84%, respectively.
"In 2011 R700-million was allocated to eradicate mud schools and provide basic infrastructure such as water, toilets and electricity but this has not been spent," the education lobby group said.
Some of the things that were promised last year Equal Education says are still outstanding include:
- 3544 schools still do not have electricity, while a further 804 schools have an unreliable electricity source;
- 2401 schools have no water supply, while a further 2611 schools have an unreliable water supply;
- 913 schools do not have any ablution facilities, while 11450 schools are still using pit latrine toilets;
- 22938 schools do not have stocked libraries, while 19 541 do not even have space for a library;
- 2703 schools have no fencing facilities at all.
Heavy education spending but still not nearly enough
FINANCE Minister Pravin Gordhan has once again increased spending on education as has been the trend over the past 15 years.
Yesterday Gordhan said that spending on education would grow from R207-billion in 2012-13 to R236-billion in 2014-15. This includes R18.8-billion that will be spent in the medium term towards expanding pupil subsidies in no-fees schools and expanded access to Grade R.
Gordhan also announced that R300-million was allocated for the establishment of two new universities.
He said the money was for "planning and structure" and further money would be allocated whenever the need arose.
But despite these huge amounts of money there is still unhappiness about how the funds are used.
On Tuesday - a day before Pravin's budget speech - members of Equal Education picketed outside Parliament to demand minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure. A memorandum of demands was also handed to the National Treasury.
The organisation said it was concerned about misspending in school infrastructure.
In terms of infrastructure spending the total expenditure at the end of December 2011 was at 64% of the adjusted budget of more than R9-billion.
The Eastern Cape education department spent only 28% of its budget compared to the expected outcome of 75% at the end of the third quarter.
North West and the Northern Cape spent 51% and 56% respectively.
Limpopo and Mpumalanga spent above the expected level at 88% and 84%, respectively.
"In 2011 R700-million was allocated to eradicate mud schools and provide basic infrastructure such as water, toilets and electricity but this has not been spent," the education lobby group said.
Some of the things that were promised last year Equal Education says are still outstanding include:
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