Johhansburg - The SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has raised serious concern about the 3% increase in the education budget by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
This came after Godongwana tabled his Budget policy statement on Wednesday.
But on Thursday Sadtu said this was a very minimal increase given the challenges faced by the Department of Basic Education.
“This projected increase of 3% average in the education budget over the medium term is hugely inadequate to address the challenges of schooling at township and far-flung rural schools,” it said.
The union also recently held a two-day National General Council (NGC), which addressed matters like lack of proper infrastructure and overcrowded classes, the vision of the government towards providing pupils and teachers with connectivity for teaching and learning and professional development framework for digital learning as well as wage issue.
Sadtu said the minister’s reiteration of a wage offer to public servants which includes the 3% cost of living adjustment, plus 1.5% pay progression and R1000 non-pensionable gratuity had left them with little hope that something positive will come out of the protracted wage talks.
The union said it recognised the importance of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative which introduced education assistants and general assistants in schools.
It said this was a major effort to deal with the unemployment problem in the country. The union said it had hoped Godongwana would announce that the Presidential Youth Employment Scheme would become a permanent scheme to help the youth.
Statistics South Africa has found most of the unemployed in the country were among the youth.
Sadtu said the scheme had been of great assistance to teachers and the running of schools as they reduced the workload.
“We were hoping the policy statement would talk to these assistants so that they are permanently employed,” it added.
“We urge the government to continue with this presidential initiative as it has served to expose many unemployed youths to the workplace to gain relevant experience.
“We need to start a discussion on how these assistants could be supported to pursue their studies sponsored by the Funza Lushaka project,” it said.
Current Affairs