Limpopo Education: Budget neglects provincial schools’ infrastructure

The provincial department of education’s consistent neglect of public schools’ infrastructure has now reached alarming proportions, says Desiree van der Walt, DA Limpopo Spokesperson on Basic Education.

In Ednesday’s budget speech, MEC Dickson Maseloma, allocated a mere R997 million for school infrastructure development. This sharply contrasts with a R1; 1 billion budgeted to pay for the MEC’s support staff.

This comes swift at the heels of the controversial Second Adjustment Appropriation Amendment Bill which sought to shift R78 million from Ordinary Public Schools Education meant to build schools in order to pay for salaries.

Although this Bill has now been temporarily shelved, together with yesterday’s budget  is clear indication that this department cares so little about building and repairing schools for the learners of Limpopo.

Clearly the department’s mission to “ensure equitable and efficient allocation and utilization of resources” is only valid to the extent that salaries for officials are paid.

Everything else such the department’s core mandate to build schools for our learners can be compromised in the process.

This is in the context of the department’s  officials failing to deliver textbooks on time and overcrowded or collapsing school buildings in the province.

Where the DA governs in the Western Cape, education budget is prioritised for the department’s main mandate; the provision of proper education under conducive environment.