ActionSA Condemns Education Department’s Negligence in Funding and Nutrition
Andrew Louw
ActionSA Northern Cape Chairperson
ActionSA is deeply alarmed by the unacceptable state of school readiness in the Francis Baard District. The Department of Education has failed to allocate the necessary funding to schools, leaving many Quintile 1 and 2 schools unable to provide even the most basic resources.
Despite contributing through taxes, parents are now forced to bear the additional financial burden of purchasing textbooks and learner-teacher support materials (LTSM) that should have been supplied by the Department.
This mismanagement undermines the principle of free basic education and places an undue financial strain on already struggling households.
The suspension of the school nutrition programme (feeding scheme) is another glaring failure, leaving thousands of children hungry and unable to concentrate in class. The impact of hunger on a child’s ability to learn and thrive cannot be overstated. The Department’s neglect of this critical programme is a direct assault on the dignity and future of learners in our province.
In August 2024, ActionSA conducted oversight visits following reports that the Department had exhausted its budget for the 2024/2025 financial year. Our findings confirmed these allegations, raising serious concerns about the Department’s financial priorities and management. At the time, we urged the Department to take swift action to address these issues and prevent the very crisis we are currently witnessing. Regrettably, no decisive measures were implemented, and the consequences are now evident.
ActionSA demands immediate accountability and transparency from the Department. The full allocation of school budgets must be released without delay, and the feeding scheme must be reinstated immediately. The education and well-being of our children are non-negotiable, and this persistent negligence must end.
ActionSA Condemns Education Department’s Negligence in Funding and Nutrition
ActionSA is deeply alarmed by the unacceptable state of school readiness in the Francis Baard District. The Department of Education has failed to allocate the necessary funding to schools, leaving many Quintile 1 and 2 schools unable to provide even the most basic resources.
Despite contributing through taxes, parents are now forced to bear the additional financial burden of purchasing textbooks and learner-teacher support materials (LTSM) that should have been supplied by the Department.
This mismanagement undermines the principle of free basic education and places an undue financial strain on already struggling households.
The suspension of the school nutrition programme (feeding scheme) is another glaring failure, leaving thousands of children hungry and unable to concentrate in class. The impact of hunger on a child’s ability to learn and thrive cannot be overstated. The Department’s neglect of this critical programme is a direct assault on the dignity and future of learners in our province.
In August 2024, ActionSA conducted oversight visits following reports that the Department had exhausted its budget for the 2024/2025 financial year. Our findings confirmed these allegations, raising serious concerns about the Department’s financial priorities and management. At the time, we urged the Department to take swift action to address these issues and prevent the very crisis we are currently witnessing. Regrettably, no decisive measures were implemented, and the consequences are now evident.
ActionSA demands immediate accountability and transparency from the Department. The full allocation of school budgets must be released without delay, and the feeding scheme must be reinstated immediately. The education and well-being of our children are non-negotiable, and this persistent negligence must end.