By Edwin Naidu

Are there too many vehicles on South Africa’s roads, and how is this affecting the nation?

According to Stats SA, there are 12 million vehicles on our roads, with at least 7000 people dying every year in motor vehicle-related accidents.

This is despite South Africa signing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which all United Nations members adopted in 2015. The Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.6 aims to halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents by 2030.

However, a recent report by Stats SA, ‘Road Transport Accident Deaths in South Africa, 2007-2019’, shows that the number of deaths from road transport accidents continues to increase.

Several factors contribute to road traffic accidents, including human error, inadequate infrastructure, vehicle defects and environmental conditions.

Human factors, such as speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving (often due to smartphone usage) and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are among the primary causes.

I read in one article that the SA Police Services recently laughed at a drunken man in a Solar4Life Haval who wanted to stop several motorists because they were driving, in his words, too fast. It was no laughing matter when the drunk idiot crashed into a wall. Still, getting the police to do their job is like expecting snow in summer.

The cumulative figures for road transport accident fatalities between 2007 and 2019 indicate that individuals typically pass away in the province where they reside.

KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo have the highest proportions of deaths occurring in the residents’ respective provinces, with rates of 92,1% and 93,4%, respectively.

In contrast, Gauteng displays a distinct pattern compared to other provinces, with a lower percentage of road transport accident fatalities occurring in the province of usual residence, at 54,2%.

These daily horrific accidents that remind us of the carnage on our roads, especially on the N3 to Durban where the number of truck accidents via Pietermaritzburg, is alarming.

On Monday, Higher Education and Training director-general Nkosinathi Sishi challenged Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) CEO Maphefo Anno-Frempong to help save lives by encouraging citizens to use rail as a means of transport.

“It would save many lives,” he said during the launch of the Green Hydrogen Centre of Specialisation at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in Pretoria.

Sishi, a former deputy director-general of public entity oversight at the national Transport Department, said his calls followed the tragic passing of a department parliamentary liaison officer in a road accident over the weekend.

The emphasis of the launch was on the groundbreaking formation of the centre, which is a first for hydrogen in South Africa.

This project involves collaboration between the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority, the Mining Qualifications Authority and TETA. Its aim is to address the pressing need for hydrogen skills in the country.

Yet, the DG’s sadness about his late colleague was evident at the CSIR.

Anno-Frempong agreed with Sishi, saying the consequences of an accident involving hydrogen transportation were unimaginable.

“For us, it is ensuring the lives of people of South Africa are secure as hydrogen is stored and transported at distribution centres,” she added.

Preferably, it would be carried via rail.

However, if two recent incidents that negatively impacted citizens are honestly analysed, one is left with the feeling that our government has a poor track record of putting the nation first.

First, the SA National Defence Force lacked intelligence in decisively dealing with the July 2021 riots in KwaZulu-Natal. The government estimates 354 deaths during the rioting.  And recently, the unprecedented heavy snowfall, which sadly resulted in casualties, could have been prevented had the country’s disaster management team not been asleep.

The Transport Department could have acted on the SA Weather Service’s warnings of inclement conditions on the horizon by liaising with the traffic authorities to close the roads in anticipation of snowfall.

But in a country where traffic authorities are susceptible to bribes, letting people off the hook, or putting motorists through unnecessary roadblocks while leaving malfunctioning robots to be manned by beggars risking their own lives while keeping traffic moving, is ludicrous.  

If she makes good on her promise, a forward-thinking CEO like Anno-Frempong would go a long way toward ensuring the safety of citizens in our country with a poor track record.

Honest public servants like Sishi and Anno-Frempongmust be applauded for discussing ways to save lives rather than responding when it is too late. However, South Africa Inc. must first understand why the left hand must know what the right hand is doing to ensure we arrive alive.

Edwin Naidu is Editor of Inside Education.

Inside Education

By Johnathan Paoli

National Science Week (NSW) is a critical opportunity to further the integration of science and technology into society, in light of the below average performance of the country in the sector, according to the SA Agency for Science and Technology Advancement.

SAASTA communication manager Mike Ellis praised the importance of science education, especially for the youth, saying that despite the achievements made so far, more needed to be done to put South African on the map.

“South Africa has been performing below average, with some significant challenges, including socio-economic disparity. However, we have made significant progress since 2003, especially regarding gender and other improvements including raising awareness,” Ellis said.

Ellis referenced the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), an assessment of learners from both the intermediate and senior phases, and facilitated by the Human Sciences Research Council.

It compares learners’ educational knowledge and skills.

The assessment found that out of a group of 17 countries, South Africa scored last with a score of 370, 130 below the centrepoint of 500.

Also, language was a major obstacle in science education, in addition to socio-economic barriers which impacted effective learning and educational support.

The TIMSS 2019 results indicated that learner performance, while improving, was still low.

There was an urgent need to identify ways to enhance science teaching and learning.

It called for the introduction of scientific terms in everyday speech among learners, an improvement in reading with meaning, and a practical as well as theoretical method which encourages critical thinking skills.

Ellis said there was a desperate need of more skilled teachers in order to help students on scientific educational development, but this required well-funded schools.

He said improvement within the sector hinged upon a comprehensive strategy which took into consideration the unique challenges of South Africa as a country.

Both the SAASTA and the Science and Innovation Department has welcomed the NSW as an opportunity to further integrate science and technology in schools and public spaces.

The week will consist of several activities at both national and provincial level that aim to bridge the gap between science and the nation.

In terms of the national scale, activities include daily five-minute quizzes at the beginning of the school day for schools at intermediate, senior and FET levels.

The Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu Science Centre in the Eastern Cape is expected to conduct a talk on the importance of cybersecurity in the digital age on Tuesday.

The Free State is expected to conduct public visits to government-funded infrastructure to experience astronomy and associated technologies at the Naval Hill Planetarium in Bloemfontein.

In Gauteng, the Tshwane University of Technology is expected to host a Science Festival on Wednesday, celebrating creativity and innovation among science students.

Postgraduates will showcase their innovative high-tech-based science projects through oral presentation.

In KwaZulu-Natal, an early childhood development event on coding and robotics will be held in Newcastle, as well as a hands-on science exhibition on virtual reality.

Limpopo will see an exhibition starting from Wednesday on smart farming using technology, and a school visit to St Mark’s Comprehensive Secondary School to showcase career opportunities in science and technology while educating students about the latest advances.

Mpumalanga will additionally host an ECD introduction to technology in Mbombela the entire week.

The Northern Cape will host public visits to the South African Astronomical Observatory field station near Sutherland, while the North West will celebrate science week at the Lerothodi Secondary School in Bojanala.

The Western Cape will host public visits to the SA Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town, is set to launch a hands-on activity for schools in the Overberg district, as well as a learner outreach in Laingsburg and a community engagement on sustainable fishing.

Science and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande officially launched the NSW on Saturday at the Bloemfontein campus of the Central University of Technology.

He said his department sought to encourage a culture of critical conversations among ordinary people and the youth concerning the value of science to society.

SAASTA project coordinator Bafedile Kgwadi called for active participation in the week’s activities.

“Science is all around us, and people from all sectors of society are encouraged to participate and demonstrate how they relate to technology and it affects their everyday life,” Kgwadi said.

The department also launched the Science Engagement Information Management System in order to store and process raw project performance data.

It aligns the science engagement programme with the 2011 National Evaluation Policy Framework for the Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation Department as well as the National Treasury. The week-long celebration is expected to provide all stakeholders with the opportunity to advance the goals of the country’s science engagement programme, and generate the necessary buzz about science in everyday life.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Ekaterina Rzyankina

When most people are asked to picture an engineer at work, they probably imagine a civil engineer in a hard hat at a construction site, a chemical engineer in a laboratory or an electrical engineer examining a complex circuit board. Very few, I’m willing to bet, visualise someone aboard a ship.

But, for those drawn both to engineering and a seafaring life, marine engineering and nautical science are ideal careers – especially in a country like South Africa, uniquely positioned where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans converge.

Over 90% of the world’s good are transported by sea. That means both marine engineers and nautical scientists are crucial to global trade, transportation and resource management. These professionals play a critical role in ensuring that vessels operate reliably, comply with environmental regulations and navigate safely through the world’s oceans.

South Africa’s Department of Higher Education does not distinguish between different types of engineering when collecting statistics about graduates. However, those of us in the marine engineering and nautical science space in academia can confirm the numbers are low. At my own institution, the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Cape Town, between ten and 20 people graduate each year from these programmes. At another, Nelson Mandela University in the Eastern Cape province, around seven people graduate in these fields each year. With so few people studying these disciplines, the skills they impart are in high demand. The government’s list of scare skills for 2024 includes “marine engineering technologist”.

I’m an engineering lecturer in the Department of Maritime Studies at CPUT. There, I teach in both the Bachelor of Nautical Science and Marine Engineering programmes, lecturing on a variety of subjects, including mathematics and applied thermodynamics (the branch of physics that deals with the relationships between heat, energy and work).

Watching my students complete their degrees and start careers in marine engineering or nautical science has made it clear that this work offers a blend of adventure, technical challenge, and the opportunity to contribute to an industry that is essential to global commerce and environmental stewardship.

Whether it’s designing cutting-edge marine technology or navigating the world’s vast oceans, the maritime field promises a fulfilling professional journey.

Theory and practice

Three universities – CPUT, Nelson Mandela University and the Durban University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal – offer maritime studies courses aimed at those who intend to work at sea. A fourth, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, offers this degree with a focus on maritime law and logistics. There are also some specialised training institutions, among them the South African Maritime Safety Authority that provide various qualifications and certifications.

You’ll need to have taken mathematics, physical science and English in your school-leaving matric year, and to have passed them well. (Contact individual universities to find out their precise degree requirements.) A strong interest in and commitment to a career at sea or in the maritime industry more broadly is crucial.

Being a strong swimmer can be an advantage. But it is not necessarily a requirement. Students who do not know how to swim will typically have the opportunity to learn and develop their swimming skills as part of their training.

There are practical and theoretical components to these degrees. At our Granger Bay campus near the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, for instance, we’ve set up a survival centre – a practical facility where students receive training to equip them for life at sea. It is fully equipped with three fully enclosed lifeboats, two open lifeboats, a rigid capsule, two fast rescue craft, a heated 12 x 7 metre pool, an underwater escape training dunker, various life rafts, life jackets, immersion suits, and more.

On the theoretical side, a Bachelor of Nautical Science programme focuses on the navigation and operation of ships. It encompasses navigation techniques, ship stability, cargo handling, meteorology, and maritime laws. This prepares students for careers as navigators in the merchant navy. (Not to be confused with the military navy – a merchant navy is a country’s commercial shipping industry, which includes all the cargo and passenger ships that are registered under that nation and used for trade, transport and other non-military purposes.)

Some of our graduates have gone on to become ship’s masters, also called captains – the highest ranking officer on any ship.

Marine engineering programmes, meanwhile, focus on the design, development, operation and maintenance of the mechanical systems and equipment used on ships and other marine vessels. This includes everything from engines and propulsion systems to refrigeration and steering mechanisms. Marine engineers ensure that these systems function efficiently and safely. They often work closely with naval architects to integrate these technologies into new ship designs or retrofit them into existing vessels.

Ample opportunities

Oceanic African countries, like South Africa, need people with these skills to harness the full potential of their maritime resources.

The development of local expertise in maritime engineering and nautical science is essential for ensuring safe and efficient maritime operations. It also helps to protect marine environments and contributes to global maritime trade. Skilled professionals in these fields help these countries take advantage of their maritime assets, promote economic growth and enhance their roles in international commerce.

As a proud lecturer, I am thrilled to see my students progress and develop both internationally and locally. Many have gone on to work in various exciting and prestigious roles around the world. Some have become ship’s masters, navigating and managing large vessels on international waters, while others have taken on critical roles in maritime operations, port management and logistics in countries such as Singapore, Norway and the United Kingdom. Some have pursued careers in maritime law and policy. Their career paths reflect the diverse and global opportunities available in the maritime industry.

Rzyankina is a Lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology

This article was originally published in The Conversation 

By Johannah Malogadihlare

Western Cape education MEC David Maynier has warned of serious consequences for matric pupils who are caught cheating in the final exams.

The exams start on the 21 October. Matriculants will sign a pledge and a commitment agreement which details the rules and consequences for breaking the rules.

“The candidate’s results could be nullified, and they could even be barred from writing one to three subsequent examinations, delaying their post-school employment or education”, Maynier warned.

The MEC reminded pupils to eliminate any items that would assist them in cheating, saying the teachers would not tolerate any excuses.

“Despite the warnings, 22 candidates who were found in possession of crib notes or cellphones during the November exams last year, were disqualified,” said Maynier.

The department also warned candidates that they would face criminal prosecution if they were found to be involved in leaking of examination question papers.

Maynier has encouraged matriculants to use their final weeks before the exams to study and prepare themselves.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Vitomir Kovanovic, Maarten de Laat and Rebecca Marrone

It’s almost two years since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022. Since then, educators worldwide have been grappling with what generative artificial intelligence might mean for classrooms and learning.

ChatGPT has been met with both anxiety and a sense of optimism. While there has been a lot of discussion about what is happening in universities, there has been less attention given to schools.

We have been looking at trials of AI in schools in South Australia. Here’s what we found.

What has happened so far in Australia?

Most Australian states initially banned ChatGPT and other generative AI tools in government schools (many private schools have been using the technology).

In a different approach, the SA government began a trial of AI in schools in 2023 with its own tool, EdChat.

Other jurisdictions have since reconsidered their stance. For example, at the start of 2024, New South Wales began trialling its own AI tool.

In November 2023, the federal government also published a framework for generative AI in schools, which said AI has “great potential” to help teachers and students, and to reduce administrative workloads.

Last month, a federal parliamentary inquiry recommended generative AI in schools should be a “national priority”, finding the benefits of AI outweigh its significant risks and challenges.

What happened is South Australia?

EdChat is a generative AI tool owned by the SA Department for Education, which was designed with Microsoft. It can be used in classrooms and at home. According to the department, it has “extra safety features” to protect students’ privacy and stop them accessing inappropriate content.

In the first phase of the trial, EdChat was used in eight SA government high schools for eight weeks. In the second phase, a further eight schools were included.

We have been evaluating the trial using survey data from about 90 teachers and 700 students. A journal article on this work is currently under review. In this article, we speak about our results from teachers.

‘It reduces time pressure’

Teachers told us they felt safer using EdChat than other tools such as ChatGPT, because student data is not being used to train generative AI models.

However, teachers still wanted to know more about how the student data is stored and who can access EdChat records.

Teachers also reported significant benefits of the tool. They said it helped save time developing lesson plans and learning materials – allowing for more time with students in the classroom.

One teacher told us how the tool had been adopted by the class.

We nicknamed it Eddy as a class and Eddy is now embedded as part of our class culture.

Teachers also used EdChat to provide personalised learning activities to students and “reduce time pressure and brain power required to create [teaching examples] and plan fun activities”. EdChat also allowed students to get personalised feedback or support when teachers were not around.

‘We need to be careful’

Teachers noted issues with hallucinations (when the AI comes up with nonsense) and incorrect information. This means students need to have the skills to recognise this.

As one teacher told us:

I think we need to be careful since students can treat AI like how they treat anything on the internet, without any critical thinking and taking it at face value.

They also said students need to learn to write better prompts and develop their critical thinking skills for working with AI.

They said content filters could also be challenging. While designed to keep students safe, they sometimes interfered with learning, especially for sensitive topics such as history, reproductive health or politics. For example, one history teacher said the “censorship was difficult to get around”.

Teachers also said it was more difficult to work out whether students’ work was plagiarised or not.

What happens now?

The SA government is looking at ways to expand the use of EdChat in schools.

Our research suggests we need to do more work in several areas.

The first is specific education for students around how to use AI critically and effectively.

We also need more research now about how AI is being used in different schools. There are no large-scale studies yet in Australia but there is growing evidence from other parts of the world, such as Estonia, the United States and United Kingdom, which show AI is significantly changing the way teachers are teaching.

This includes spending more time on students’ critical thinking skills and using AI to generate ideas.

We also need to make sure all students can gain access to AI (not just those who can afford the technology) and that the AI itself it not biased against minorities.

Meanwhile, teachers need more support and professional development, and schools need help to plan and make changes.

This includes a wider community awareness of the profound effects these new technologies are having and will have on the teaching profession and student learning.

This article was originally published in The Conversation

By Edwin Naidu

A new report by the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE) has reinforced the need for universities to improve the recruitment and retention of women and persons with disabilities in senior positions at tertiary institutions.

“The universities must improve recruitment of women and persons with disabilities in academic, top and senior management positions to achieve equal representation according to the Employment Equity Act,” says the report.

The State of Gender Transformation at Tertiary Institutions 2023/2024, as part of ongoing hearings, focuses on four universities: Walter Sisulu University, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, University of Fort Hare and the University of the Western Cape.

The responses were analysed and investigative hearings were held as part of the commission and the country’s goal of creating a society free from gender inequality.

In its report, the CGE urged universities to provide adequate funding for gender transformation to achieve their employment equity targets and manage the retention of female staff.

However, the commission found that some universities were reluctant to review their sexual harassment policies to align with the Code of Good Practice 2022.

This reluctance to review policies subjected staff and students to lesser protective measures than what the law provided.

The GGE’s annual performance plan for 2023/24 required it to conduct hearings on gender transformation at universities.

The hearings aimed to understand gender dynamics, the slow pace of transformation and the creation of inclusive environments.

Despite legislative progress since the adoption of the Constitution, challenges remained in achieving gender equality in higher education.

Findings and Recommendations

Walter Sisulu University

Findings: Skewed gender representation at senior levels, lack of disability representation, inadequate policies for parental obligations and sexual harassment.

Recommendations: Develop an employment equity plan, implement flexitime policies, conduct sexual harassment workshops and ensure the employment equity manager performs their duties.

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

Findings: Over-representation in senior positions, lack of policies for LGBTQIA+ inclusion and challenges in addressing employment equity barriers.

Recommendations: Address skewed representation, finalise policies for disability and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, align sexual harassment policies with the Code of Good Practice and conduct awareness campaigns.

University of Fort Hare

Findings: Over-representation of black men in senior positions, lack of policies for persons with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and non-compliance with sexual harassment policy standards.

Recommendations: Implement programmes for designated groups, finalise and approve inclusive policies and align sexual harassment policies with the Code of Good Practice.

University of the Western Cape

Findings: Majority representation of women in senior positions, outdated policies and non-compliance with sexual harassment policy standards.

Recommendations: Review and update policies, implement planned transformation programmes, provide gender awareness training and ensure inclusion of gender non-conforming persons.

Higher Education Resources South Africa (HERS-SA) executive director Brightness Mangolothi said much more needed to be done to advance women in the tertiary space.

She said HERS-SA, which has been working to improve the status of women in higher education, found that, in general, women were given the most challenging jobs when men did not seem to want them, resulting in them being destined to fail.

Universities South Africa (USAf) chairperson Francis Petersen said gender equality was an imperative that could not be ignored, and that it was committed to bringing about change.

Petersen, the vice-chancellor designate of the University of Pretoria, said USAf has several projects targeting meaningful gender transformation. It was mindful that women’s leadership was significantly underrepresented in most universities’ senior executive, management and academic positions.

“Active measures must be implemented to increase the representation of women in these positions.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has declared that it is ready to resist the expected austerity measures in the education sector following budget cuts, while at the same fighting for the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act.

Speaking during the last day of the union’s 10th national congress in Boksburg in Ekurhuleni, Sadtu president Magope Maphila said that the union, in line with a global campaign of “Go Public, Fund Education”, would do all in its power to fight the cutbacks in services, positions and other resources within the basic education sector.

“We will fight that there are no austerity measures, that our schools are funded and that our teachers are paid in order to build a developed and inclusive society, and ensure that neoliberal policies are something of the past,” Maphila said.

He said that Sadtu, which is the largest teacher union in the country, would demand that funding be made available for the rescuing and retraining of teachers, and that education be prioritised within the national government’s fiscal ambitions.

This follows the announcement by the Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube of a budget shortfall of between R70 billion and R118 billion expected over the next three years.

It is not only limited to teacher positions, but across the board, including nutrition programmes, scholar transportation and early childhood development.

Furthermore, the union issued a stern warning to the minister, saying it would resist any attempt at undermining the implementation of the legislation.

“The non-implementation of BELA is a declaration of war on the part of the minister, and we can fight and teach at the same time,” Maphila said.

Meanwhile, the union announced its national leadership, with all candidates in the top eight retaining their positions.

Maphila and his deputy, Mabutho Cele, have been serving in their positions since 2014, while general secretary Mugwena Maluleke has been in his position since 2009. They will serve for another five years.

Sadtu declared its five pillars of its 2030 Vision. They comprise servicing union members, creating a learning nation, building socialism for the present, creating international partnerships and building a capacity-based organisation.

It said it would facilitate workshops and seminars to further the political education of its members as well as training opportunities to ensure the transfer of both foundational and functional skills for educators and learners.

Maphila called the union’s members to support the African National Congress in the 2026 local government elections, saying Sadtu was a dependable ally that could be relied on.

He recognised that the Government of National Unity was a peculiar change to the political landscape, but called on the ANC and its alliance partners to remain loyal to the transformation agenda.

In closing, the president called for unity within the union.

There were reports discontent among some branches on Sadtu’s position on the GNU and the ‘unopposed’ election of its leadership.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

International University Sports Federation (FISU) president Leonz Eder has called for more to be done in ensuring the utilisation of sports in encouraging national growth across the continent.

The 11th Africa University Games, which ends on Sunday, officially commenced with the International University Sports Federation, Federation of Africa University Sports and National University Sports Federations seminar held at the University of Lagos.

It highlighted the role played by sports at a tertiary level in development.

The seminar under the theme “Empowering University Sports: Pathways to Excellence”, gathered key stakeholders in university sports, including vice-chancellors, sports directors and student leaders.

Eder joined virtually, urging African universities to pursue excellence and support one another in advancing university sports.

In the keynote address, he emphasised the importance of university sports as a catalyst for national development, aligning with the African Union’s goals of unity, education and health.

The discussions also centred around strategies for enhancing sports programmes and the benefits of hosting major events, drawing on successful practices from various institutions.

Day two of the seminar emphasised “equity, diversity and inclusion”, with a dedicated session focused on promoting safe environments for all athletes, underscoring the necessity of robust safeguarding policies against abuse and discrimination.

The games marked a historic milestone as they were co-hosted for the first time by two prestigious Nigerian universities, the University of Lagos and Lagos State University.

With participation from 65 universities across Africa, the event showcased the unity and sporting excellence of the continent.

INSIDE POLITICS

By Alicia Mmashakana

Following a site visit, KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Sipho Hlomuka is satisfied that the department will meet its target of delivering learning and teacher support materials (LTSM) to government schools.

“As a department we are very pleased and satisfied that the service provider is going to meet the October 30 deadline of the delivery of textbooks and stationery to schools throughout the province of KwaZulu-Natal,” Hlomuka said in a statement.

He visited the LTSM warehouse in Amanzimtoti on Friday to monitor and evaluate the state of readiness for the delivery of the materials.

“The MEC expressed his appreciation at the state of readiness and was satisfied that all learners are going to receive their LTSM come the first day of the 2025 academic year,” the statement read.

According to the Stats SA’s 2021 General Household Survey, 21.2% of learners dropped out of school because of poor academic performance.

There are many reasons for the dropouts including a lack of LTSM, not enough quality educators and a failure to provide adequate and safe infrastructure.

LTSM is one element of the right to basic education. Getting books and stationery in the hands of learners remains a struggle in some provinces.

According to the Government Technical Advisory Centre, provincial governments spent about R18.9 billion on textbooks, stationery and other forms of LTSM between 2016/17 and 2020/21.

KwaZulu-Natal spent the most on materials, followed by Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

LTSM include textbooks, workbooks for learners and manuals for teachers.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Johnathan Paoli

The Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) has issued a stark warning regarding proposed budget cuts to the country’s basic education sector, following a press briefing by Minister Siviwe Gwarube.

BJC spokesperson Gillian Pillay, representing a coalition of civil society organisations dedicated to equitable and rights-based budgeting, said resources needed to be mobilised to ensure that the state fulfilled its obligations to provide quality education.

“Budget cuts towards basic education will hinder the government’s ability to address critical issues such as teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate infrastructure,” Pillay said in a statement on Friday.

The minister revealed that seven provincial education departments may not meet their financial obligations by the 2027/28 fiscal year, raising concerns about the future of quality education for millions of learners.

The briefing highlighted alarming budget constraints, with the department’s CFO Patrick Khunou estimating a cumulative pressure of between R78 billion and R118 billion across provinces from 2021/22 to 2027/28.

Gwarube described the potential cuts as “brutal,” emphasising that they would disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities and violating the constitutional right to education.

Since 2018, the coalition has been advocating for increased education funding and reported on the detrimental effects of budget cuts.

Pillay said the trend of below-inflation allocations to the provincial equitable share has left many education departments struggling to provide essential services, ultimately impacting economic participation and the long-term growth of South African society.

The Western Cape education department has already announced a staggering loss of 2,400 teaching posts due to a R3.8-billion budget shortfall over the next three years.

Other provinces are expected to follow suit, further limiting their capacity to fill existing teacher vacancies and worsening classroom overcrowding.

While the proposed 2024/25 budget includes a 3.2% increase in compensation for basic education personnel, the reality of inflation means this equates to a 2.2% real cut.

Pillay said this was insufficient to address the ongoing crisis of under-staffing in public schools, as recognised by the National Treasury.

The Gauteng education department has already warned that it is looking at slashing funding for critical programmes like school transport and learning materials to save jobs.

Pillay warned that such trade-offs were ultimately detrimental to the most marginalised learners, who may lose their right to quality education altogether.

With women constituting 70% of educators, she called on the government to consider gender implications in budgetary decisions, especially as reductions in public sector wages could further marginalise these vital contributors to society.

The coalition is advocating for innovative fiscal approaches to safeguard education rights and has proposed several solutions.

They include utilising the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account to reduce the budget deficit without further compromising public spending, leveraging the Government Employees Pension Fund to purchase bonds at favourable rates, and implementing progressive tax reforms to eliminate tax rebates for high-income earners.

It has also called for revising the education component of the Provincial Equitable Share formula to address disparities among provinces and adjusting post-provisioning norms to ensure equitable salary distributions in no-fee schools compared to fee-charging institutions.

She said the BJC was ready to engage with policymakers, teachers and communities to safeguard the rights of learners and ensure a just and equitable education system.

“Now is the time for forward-thinking strategies that promote sustainable growth and economic transformation,” Pillay said.

Meanwhile, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, has similarly warned that the proposed cuts will exacerbate conditions in light of the growing unemployment in the country.

“In the sea of unemployment in which we are drowning, cutting education budgets spells disaster. If we are to educate a modern workforce, we should be increasing investment in education, not reducing it,” Makgoba said.

Speaking at the Anglican Church’s provincial Synod, he called on the national government to do all in its power to address the funding crisis in education, and not sacrifice feeding and transport services in an attempt to mitigate expected unemployment.

The Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) has issued a stark warning regarding proposed budget cuts to the country’s basic education sector, following a press briefing by Minister Siviwe Gwarube.

BJC spokesperson Gillian Pillay, representing a coalition of civil society organisations dedicated to equitable and rights-based budgeting, said resources needed to be mobilised to ensure that the state fulfilled its obligations to provide quality education.

“Budget cuts towards basic education will hinder the government’s ability to address critical issues such as teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate infrastructure,” Pillay said in a statement on Friday.

The minister revealed that seven provincial education departments may not meet their financial obligations by the 2027/28 fiscal year, raising concerns about the future of quality education for millions of learners.

The briefing highlighted alarming budget constraints, with the department’s CFO Patrick Khunou estimating a cumulative pressure of between R78 billion and R118 billion across provinces from 2021/22 to 2027/28.

Gwarube described the potential cuts as “brutal,” emphasising that they would disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, thereby exacerbating existing inequalities and violating the constitutional right to education.

Since 2018, the coalition has been advocating for increased education funding and reported on the detrimental effects of budget cuts.

Pillay said the trend of below-inflation allocations to the provincial equitable share has left many education departments struggling to provide essential services, ultimately impacting economic participation and the long-term growth of South African society.

The Western Cape education department has already announced a staggering loss of 2,400 teaching posts due to a R3.8-billion budget shortfall over the next three years.

Other provinces are expected to follow suit, further limiting their capacity to fill existing teacher vacancies and worsening classroom overcrowding.

While the proposed 2024/25 budget includes a 3.2% increase in compensation for basic education personnel, the reality of inflation means this equates to a 2.2% real cut.

Pillay said this was insufficient to address the ongoing crisis of under-staffing in public schools, as recognised by the National Treasury.

The Gauteng education department has already warned that it is looking at slashing funding for critical programmes like school transport and learning materials to save jobs.

Pillay warned that such trade-offs were ultimately detrimental to the most marginalised learners, who may lose their right to quality education altogether.

With women constituting 70% of educators, she called on the government to consider gender implications in budgetary decisions, especially as reductions in public sector wages could further marginalise these vital contributors to society.

The coalition is advocating for innovative fiscal approaches to safeguard education rights and has proposed several solutions.

They include utilising the Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account to reduce the budget deficit without further compromising public spending, leveraging the Government Employees Pension Fund to purchase bonds at favourable rates, and implementing progressive tax reforms to eliminate tax rebates for high-income earners.

It has also called for revising the education component of the Provincial Equitable Share formula to address disparities among provinces and adjusting post-provisioning norms to ensure equitable salary distributions in no-fee schools compared to fee-charging institutions.

She said the BJC was ready to engage with policymakers, teachers and communities to safeguard the rights of learners and ensure a just and equitable education system.

“Now is the time for forward-thinking strategies that promote sustainable growth and economic transformation,” Pillay said.

Meanwhile, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, has similarly warned that the proposed cuts will exacerbate conditions in light of the growing unemployment in the country.

“In the sea of unemployment in which we are drowning, cutting education budgets spells disaster. If we are to educate a modern workforce, we should be increasing investment in education, not reducing it,” Makgoba said.

Speaking at the Anglican Church’s provincial Synod, he called on the national government to do all in its power to address the funding crisis in education, and not sacrifice feeding and transport services in an attempt to mitigate expected unemployment.

INSIDE EDUCATION