The DBE partnered with the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) to host a comprehensive and robust engagement with labour unions and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) on the Budget and Post Provisioning Norms. The workshop, which took place in Gauteng from 12 – 13 May 2025, brought together the employer and employee organisations to assess the state of health of the education sector. The engagement looked at where each province is regarding their financial status.

This annual workshop has become a critical platform for policy reflection, strategic planning and sector-wide consultation. It allows education stakeholders across the country an opportunity to pause and assess the state of the sector, whilst highlighting the importance of taking corrective action where necessary, particularly in response to factors that compromise the delivery of quality education. Reflection in this context was not just a practical step, but a critical component of meaningful education sector reforms.

Director-General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli, addressed attendees and acknowledged the timely nature of the workshop: “It is quite fortunate that we are holding this workshop at a time when the public service is discussing early retirement for public servants. From the age of 55, public servants could be allowed to leave service without being penalized in terms of their retirement benefits”.

This development may have significant implications for workforce planning, particularly in the education sector where teacher numbers, experience levels and budget allocations must be carefully balanced. The timing of the workshop allowed for constructive dialogue on how this policy proposal could impact staffing and provisioning in schools. A sense of urgency was also shared around the finalization of the 2025 education budget.

Although a proposed budget has been presented, it has not yet been approved in Parliament. Stakeholders highlighted that any further delays in the approval process could hinder planning and implementation at provincial and school levels.

In response, Dr Cindy Foca, the General Secretary of the Education Labour Relations Council, and departmental representatives pledged to closely monitor the developments. They committed to regular communication between national and provincial colleagues to ensure that all parties are kept informed and that the interests of educators, learners, and administrators are effectively represented.