School Community Integration Pilot Project - Department of Education

A comparative analysis of education expenditure in Eastern Cape schools – November 2004
more effective and able to spend higher proportions of their time in the
classroom. The quality of education in former Transkei secondary schools
would, over time, increase tremendously.
• Clustering resources in larger high schools will also support a number of
major policy initiatives. The introduction of the FET curriculum from 2006 in
grades 10 to 12, geared to modern social and economic needs, requires
effective resourcing with teaching and learning materials and equipment.
Similarly, the e-Education policy will require all schools to be using information
and communication technologies (ICT) for learning by 2013. Resources for
the implementation of both of these policies, which will especially impact high
schools, can be provided and used more effectively in larger high schools.
Realignment of the schooling system along these lines would also greatly reduce the
pressures towards a large establishment with the following results:
• A reduction in the required educator establishment from the current numbers
of 64,667 in post (EMIS 10 th day return survey 2004) to 62,334 with a saving
of 2,333 posts. Annual savings from this lower educator establishment would
be R290 million at present, equivalent to a 44% increase in the 2004/05 nonpersonnel
budget. These funds could be reprioritised to teaching and learning
materials, school services or building improvements.
• Only a minor increase would result in the overall LER for the province from
32.2 to 33.4, as small and large schools harmonise around agree space and
post provisioning norms.
The classroom backlog would increase from 5,954 to 8,023 in the proposed
realigned schooling system, due to the need to build classrooms in the expanded full
secondary schools. An increase of 2,069 classrooms would be needed at a cost of
R259 million. There would also be an associated though smaller infrastructure
requirement for hostels, toilets and other buildings. This would however be a once off
construction cost whereas post savings would be larger and would continue to
accrue in each year. The additional cost of classroom construction would also be
spread over multiple years and accommodated by reprioritising funding towards high
schools within the existing rising capital budget.
EMIS has recently prepared a study on the reorganisation of very small schools with
enrolment less than 100, finding that 57% of schools had an adjacent school within
5km that could provide a place to transfer learners. Clearly there is significant scope
for better use of resources by the realignment of small schools. The study suggests
a series of criteria for realignment of small schools:
• Are there schools within 5km that can accommodate the small school?
• Does the school have sufficient classrooms to accommodate new learners?
• In what condition is the neighbouring school?
• Can transport be provided for the learners, and if so – what will the costs be?
• What will the social costs be when the small school closes? Will the closing of
the school have a detrimental effect on the community at large?
• Can the community afford not to have a school?
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