There have been mixed reactions from stakeholders in the education and health sectors with regard to the national Budget allocations, with concerns that the funding may not be sufficient to address long-standing challenges.
While the government has promised increased funding for both departments, critics argue that the budget falls short of achieving meaningful change, with issues of teacher shortages, school infrastructure backlogs, and healthcare worker employment remaining unresolved.
The education sector was allocated additional funds, including R19.1 billion over three years to retain 11 000 teachers and R10 billion for early childhood development (ECD).
However, South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) general secretary Dr Mugwena Maluleke said these measures appeared to be inadequate.
Contract teachers and those seeking permanent posts could also bear the brunt of the shortfall.
“The contract or temporary teachers are protected by the Labour Relations Act, and when they qualify for conversion, that must happen. Provinces may target them by prolonging their temporary status, which will affect their morale and quality education,” Maluleke warned.
The budget also earmarks 24% for school infrastructure, but Sadtu believes this is not enough to address overcrowded classrooms, dilapidated buildings, and sanitation challenges.
“The 24% allocation isn’t enough to address overcrowded classrooms and maintenance costs needed to make schools conducive for learning and teaching,” Maluleke said.
KwaZulu-Natal DA spokesperson on education, Sakhile Mngadi, welcomed the additional funding but questioned whether it would be used effectively.
“Retaining teachers is crucial to maintaining stability in our schools, but it’s equally important that these funds are managed effectively. Too often, budget allocations do not translate into real improvements on the ground due to inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement,” he said.
Mngadi also pointed to the school nutrition scheme, which has suffered due to poor financial planning.
“Without a clear and accountable implementation plan, this budget risks being another case of promises on paper without real change in our schools,” he said.
Professor Labby Ramrathan, from the University of KwaZulu–Natal’s School of Education was also critical of the budget, saying it does not address long-term issues in the sector.
“There has been a steady decline in the inflationary budget for education over the last decade. So any increase in the budget allocation is merely an attempt to catch up in the shortfall and does not respond to any new developments in education, like digital technological integration in teaching and learning,” he said.
The integration of early childhood centres into the Department of Basic Education is another key focus of the budget, with R10 billion allocated for ECD. However, Ramrathan believes this amount is insufficient.
“The integration of early childhood centres will require more than R10 billion, and as such, full integration may not be possible, with centres in resource-deprived contexts being marginalised,” he warned.
Education policy expert Arno Jansen van Vuuren had a more optimistic outlook, saying, “This budget will ensure that 11,000 additional teachers remain in classrooms while also boosting funding for Early Childhood Development, increasing the subsidy for young children to R24 per day while enabling ECD access for 700,000 more kids.”
Meanwhile the health sector received an additional R28.9 billion in the budget to address the ongoing crisis of unemployed healthcare professionals.
The South African Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) welcomed the funding but urged the government to ensure it is used effectively.
“The decision by the Minister of Finance to bolster the healthcare budget, aiming specifically at employing the qualified unemployed healthcare professionals, demonstrates a commendable commitment to not only enhancing the quality of healthcare services in the country but also improving the livelihoods of countless healthcare professionals waiting to serve our communities,” said Samatu general secretary Dr Cedric Sihlangu.
However, KZN DA spokesperson on health, Dr Imraan Keeka warned that other health professionals should not be ignored.
“There has to be a balance, and we must ask: what about nurses, pharmacists, and physiotherapists? Can we ignore theatre technicians, artisans, and cleaners? Every person in the healthcare ecosystem performs a critical function,” he argued.
Michele Drews
Read More