Question NW3601 to the Minister of Basic Education
01 December 2017 - NW3601
Alberts, Mr ADW to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether the relationship or ratio of teacher to learner, be it (a) nationally or in each province or (b) on the level of primary school or high school, was amended recently; if not (i) what is the present status in each case and (ii) according to what principle is it currently functioning; if so, what are the relevant particulars of the specified amendment in each case?
Reply:
a) No, the relationship or ratio of teacher to learner nationally or in each province has not been amended.
b) No, the relationship or ratio of teacher to learner on the level of primary and high school has not been amended.
(a)(i) and (b)(i)
The table below shows the latest learner educator ratios in each Province as per the latest official statistics. The existing statistics do not differentiate between Primary and Secondary schools.
|
Province |
State-paid and SGB-paid educators |
State-paid educators only |
|
Eastern Cape |
35.3 |
35.3 |
|
Free State |
29.9 |
32.3 |
|
Gauteng |
32.5 |
36.2 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
33.1 |
38.3 |
|
Limpopo |
33.0 |
34.0 |
|
Mpumalanga |
31.8 |
33.4 |
|
North West |
32.5 |
34.7 |
|
Northern Cape |
32.6 |
35.0 |
|
Western Cape |
32.0 |
38.0 |
|
National |
32.5 |
35.7 |
Source: EMIS, School Realities, 2016
(a)(ii) and (b)(ii)
The current practice is based on the Education Labour Relations Council Resolution No.4 of 1995 which stipulated the learner: educator ratio of 40:1 at primary and 35:1 at secondary public ordinary schools. This also informed the principle of maximum class size used in the Post Provisioning Norms (PPN) which ranges between 35 and 37 in Grades R-9 and the maximum of 40 in Grades 10-12. In addition, the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public Schools Infrastructure (GN R920, 29 November 2013) regulates that the maximum number of learners in a class must be 35 in Grade R and 40 in all other grades.