The Democratic Alliance is pleased, although not entirely satisfied with the announcement of only 60 820 teaching posts for the 2013 acadmic year. This represents a cut of 3 932 teaching posts.
We are glad that the penalty of R1,6 billion that was to be imposed by the Provincial Treasury for the costing of 6 715 teachers in excess, as alluded to by the Department of Education at a meeting held with the Portfolio Committee of Education on 18 September 2012 did not materialise. The imposing of this R1,6 billion would have had further devastating outcomes and would have resulted in a further cut of more than 6 715 teachers. Luckily common sense has prevailed and these teaching posts have been saved.
The DA will never condone prosesses designed for people to loose their jobs. We are still of the opinion that not all avenues were visited to prevent job losses.
This announcement of 60 820 teaching posts in the 2013 post basket is not a victory for education in the Eastern Cape.
Although more than 6 700 teaching posts were saved as a result on the non-implementation of the proposed R1,6 billion cut by the Provincial Treasury, there are still 3 932 teaching posts that have been declared redundant and which will effect the lives of thousands of teachers. Thousands of teachers are going to be without a job, come 2013. Who these teachers will be remains the million dollar question.
The MEC for Education in the Eastern Cape, Mandla Makupula, must inform the public as a matter of urgency as to which posts have been declared redundant and how many teachers per district and school will be affected by the decreased number of posts in the 2013 post basket.
The Democratic Alliance hopes that the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape will fast-track the movement of thousands of excess teachers, a function that they have failed to implement for the last nine years due to the incalcitrant and opposing attitude of the Teachers Unions and the inability of the Department itself to deliver on its mandate in providing a teacher for each and every classroom in the province.
If the movement of these thousands of excess teachers does not take place by the first day of school in 2013 we might start the 2013 academic year with almost 11 000 teaching posts not filled, if the 3 932 cut in teaching posts is brought into calculation.
The Democratic Alliance firmly believes that the MEC of Education has not done enough to save the 3 932 teaching posts and there are no guarantees that there will indeed be a teacher in front of each and every classroom in 2013.
Edmund van Vuuren, MPL
