Civil society groups say teacher job cuts in WC will increase unemployment & hit quality of education

Civil society groups said that the planned 2,400 teacher job cuts across the Western Cape would increase the unemployment rate and further deteriorate the quality of education.

The organizations, which met on Saturday in efforts to curb the impending educators’ job losses, stated that the move showed that the government does not prioritize the education sector.

The provincial education department last week revealed that the cuts were due to the National Treasury slashing its budget by R3.8 billion over the next three financial years.

Equal Education’s Nontsikelelo Dlulani said: “What we have also been doing over the years is to speak about budget cuts, about austerity and how that is now affecting what is happening. But I mean the different campaigns that Equal Education has had around overcrowding, around sanitation, safety, and school infrastructure because we knew that it’s important to have a teacher ratio in everything that we do.”

Meanwhile, Mabhele Andile Thwani from Kwintlungu Yasematyotyombeni stated that the decision to cut teacher jobs was politically motivated.

“Most of these policies are more kind of affecting us, for example, we are no longer having SAA, also Telkom is also privatized. There are many things that are still coming, including the Post Office. They are creating excuses so that they can privatize and retrench workers,” said Thwani.

-EWN

In other news – R700 000 needed for gospel singer Solly Moholo’s brain surgery

Hospitalized well-known South African gospel singer Solly Moholo‘s family needs R700,000 for him to undergo brain surgery.

Last week, the artist was moved from a Botswana hospital to a South African one after he fell ill while on tour, and his have family asked for financial assistance, as he is in ICU. This week, the family released a statement that revealed the amount needed for his operation. Read More