Budget Vote debates commenced in Parliament this week, with departments outlining their plans, priorities and progress. Basic Education Minister, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, will be delivering Budget Vote 16 – Basic Education 2025, in Parliament, Cape Town next week.
South Africa has made progress in expanding education access, but the DBE will now focus on improving quality education. Too many learners progress through the basic education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy, which are critical for performing well in gateway subjects like Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Minister Gwarube has committed the DBE and all education partners to five key priorities for the 2025 Academic Year to: improve access to and quality of early childhood development, recognising that the formative years are critical to laying a strong foundation for our children's education journey; improve literacy and numeracy skills across all phases of schooling; improve access to and the quality of inclusive education for learners in our most vulnerable communities and learners with special education needs; improve access to and the quality of training and professional development opportunities available to our school management teams and teachers; and improve the safety and quality of schooling environments for learners and teachers. This includes reducing overcrowding in classrooms, improving access to electricity, water, and adequate sanitation facilities, and removing inappropriate structures.
“We operate under extremely difficult fiscal conditions which require innovation, creativity and firm financial discipline. As we navigate these unique times, we are reminded of our shared commitment to uplift and empower every child in South Africa through the provision of quality education, especially every child living in poor communities. It is our constitutional mandate to do so, to give meaningful expression to the right to basic education enshrined in our Constitution. Quality education is the cornerstone of economic growth, social progress, and individual empowerment. However, for our learners to excel, we must ensure that they have access to a conducive learning environment; one that is safe, well-equipped and fully resourced. This is not just a commitment; it is a constitutional imperative,” the Minister said.
A budget vote debate is important because it provides an opportunity for Parliament to discuss and formally adopt budgets of government departments and entities. The debate allows for Parliament and the public to be updated about what departments are doing, how they are performing and how public money is being used. In addition, Budget Vote debates help ensure accountability by enabling citizens to see whether departments fulfilled the previous year’s commitments and used taxpayers’ money responsibly. The Budget Vote process helps in prioritising people’s needs by guiding departments to allocate funds to critical areas like education, healthcare and infrastructure.
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