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Special Needs Education in Gauteng Requires Better Management

Pupils with Special Needs

The DA notes Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi’s, announcement that his department will be building eighteen new schools for pupils with special needs in the province.

 

This is a welcome move; however, construction of these facilities is not sufficient to ensure that quality outcomes are achieved for these learners.

 

Oversight visits to a number of special needs schools by the Education Portfolio Committee have revealed a number of shortcomings in this arena. Many of these schools have infrastructure deficits, including dilapidated buildings in which to teach and no facilities for private counselling.

Support from District Officials

 

In addition, the skills levels of educators in special needs schools are questionable as they often do not have the expertise necessary for these environments.

 

A number of special needs schools have also raised concerns that they are not able to get support from district officials, as many do not have the requisite skills themselves to support the educators. Unfortunately, the lack of support provided by district offices is not unique to special needs schools and remains a critical structure which needs to be addressed.

Quality Education

 

The DA will be working closely with both the Education Department and Portfolio Committee to ensure that learners attending both new and existing special needs schools are given the quality education they deserve.

 

Further, that educators and district officials have the requisite skills and drive to set standards of excellence for these and all learners of Gauteng.

 

 

Media Enquiries:

 Alan Fuchs MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson: Education

060 558 8313

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GP Education: R2.5 billion Admin Budget Prioritises Cadre Deployment Over Teachers

Administration BudgetKhume Ramulifho, MPL: DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education

In the budget book report to the Gauteng Legislature, the provincial Education Department tabled its 2015/6 budget with at least R2.5 billion allocated for administration.

Not only has the budget increased, but there have been alarming cuts made to funds directed at personnel for public ordinary schools and early childhood development programmes.

3500 People Will Lose Their Jobs

In fact over 3500 people will lose their jobs in this sector while MEC Panyaza Lesufi directs more funding to employing people at district and head office level.

The MEC has already conceded that the department is failing to meet basic policy requirements, including teacher-student ratios of 40:1 and 35:1 in classrooms.

The move is nothing more than blatant cadre deployment to ensure that the MEC’s office administration is prioritised over the needs of desperately overcrowded schools.

Quality Education

Quality education is key to accessing freedom in South Africa; the MEC must publically explain his decision to deny vulnerable communities this opportunity.

I will follow up with the MEC and the Education Portfolio Committee to request a review of this skewed administration budget, which obviously does not put the interests of the learners of this province first.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

DA Gauteng Education Shadow MEC

082 398 7375

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