Question NW3029 to the Minister of Basic Education
14 September 2015 - NW3029
Matsepe, Mr CD to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)What (a) is the purpose of norms and standards funds paid to schools and (b) criteria were used to determine the amount paid to every school; (2) (a) when are norms and standard funds transferred to schools, (b) who has the authority to decrease the norms and standards funds payable to schools and (c) what criteria are to be used when norms and standards are changed?
Reply:
(1) (a) According to paragraph 95 of the National Norms and Standards for School Funding, 2006 (NNSSF), the school allocations are intended to cover non-personnel recurrent items and small capital items required by the school as well as normal repairs and maintenance to all the physical infrastructure of the school. Schools can, therefore, use their allocations to pay for Learner and Teacher Support Material (e.g. textbooks and stationery), day-to-day maintenance of the school grounds and buildings, as well as for services provided to the school (e.g. municipal services and maintenance of equipment).
(b) The amount of funding allocated to a school is determined by its quintile classification, the provincial allocation amount per learner for the relevant quintile and the number of learners enrolled in the school.
(2) (a) Paragraph 121A of the NNSSF determines that Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) must make transfer payments to public ordinary schools on or before 15 May, and on or before 15 November each year.
(b) Each PED determines the amount it is able to make available for the school allocation, as part of their overall education budgetary process. Paragraph 114 of the NNSSF determines that each PED must, as part of its ongoing MTEF budgeting process, calculate the school allocation budget implied by the national targets, and compare this amount to the actual school allocation budget amount available in the MTEF budgets. Approval of the education budget, including the level of the provincial school allocation and whether it is increased or decreased, is done by the Member of the Executive Council for Education in the province.
(c) The national target amounts for the school allocation are annually adjusted in line with the Consumer Price Index. When Provincial Education Departments adjust their norms and standards allocation to schools they are guided by these nationally determined target amounts, as well as the budgets they can afford to make available. An individual school’s indicative allocation may also be adjusted if there is a significant change in the number of learners enrolled at the school when the final allocation amount is determined.