Teachers face job cuts in Gauteng and Western Cape
-
Loading... - Sarah Williams
- 16 Sep 2024
- 66 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
In Gauteng and the Western Cape, thousands of teachers' jobs are at risk due to severe budget cuts. Gauteng's Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, revealed that about 3,400 teaching positions are affected in his province, while in the Western Cape, up to 2,400 teachers could lose their jobs starting in January 2025.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has responded by taking the Western Cape Education Department to court, seeking clarity on the exact number of job cuts per school and demanding transparency. Sadtu, along with teachers, activists, and parents, are organizing strike actions to protest the impending job losses.
Chiloane expressed disappointment in the Western Cape’s decision, stating that Gauteng has chosen not to cut teaching positions, despite similar budget constraints.
He emphasized that reducing the number of teachers would negatively impact classrooms, with some teachers potentially having to manage up to 100 students.
Instead of slashing teacher jobs, Gauteng is negotiating with the Treasury to increase its budget. The department has made the difficult decision to cut funding in areas like scholar transport and food nutrition to retain teaching staff. Chiloane highlighted that the growing demand for education in Gauteng makes teacher cuts a counterproductive move.
