Question NW1294 to the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
21 July 2020 - NW1294
Van Der Walt, Ms D to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether, with regard to the financial impact of Covid-19 on schools, her department will (a) allocate additional funding towards schools through provincial departments, (b) now request provinces to transfer the two allocations due of 15 May and 15 November as one payment to schools and (c) assist schools that will lose teachers as a result of non-payment of school fees during Covid-19; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
(a) No, National Treasury determines and allocates budgets to the Provincial Treasuries. Provincial Treasuries then allocate budgets to the provincial departments
(b) Neither the Minister nor the Director-General have legislative authority to request Provincial Education Departments to deviate from policy prescripts. The Provincial Education Departments have already transferred the funds to schools in May 2020, in line with national norms and standards policy prescript.
(c) In terms of the current regulations, the Department can only maintain the allocated post establishment of a school as equitably allocated in terms of the official post establishment. The School Governing Body (SGB) is responsible for maintaining the additional educators appointed. The Department will, however, monitor the situation as it develops and if needed, Provincial Education Department can deal with the matter in terms of the fee exemption policy.