School Community Integration Pilot Project - Department of Education

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A comparative analysis of education expenditure in Eastern Cape schools – November 2004 The classroom backlog would increase from 5,954 to 8,023 in the fully realigned schooling system, an increase of 2,069 classrooms. At a current unit cost of R125,000 per classroom R259 million would be required. There would also be an associated though smaller infrastructure requirement for hostels, toilets and other buildings. It must be realised however that this would 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 could also be spread over multiple years and accommodated by reprioritisation of funding towards high schools within the existing rapidly rising capital budget. Options for realigning small primary schools were not considered in the analysis. Primary schools serve younger learners that are less likely to be able to travel longer distances to school or to stay in hostels. Primary schools are also much more rooted in particular communities than are secondary schools. A good schooling model would be: • Smaller primary schools grades R-7 based in communities close to learners, bringing the school to the learners. • Larger high schools grades 8-12 clustered in districts with boarding facilities, bringing the learners to the school. Nevertheless there is a further option for realignment that could be investigated, perhaps at a later date. Junior Primary Schools are a significant presence in the former Transkei covering up to grades 3 to 4. Many learners are 10 years or older at this point and could potentially stay in hostels or travel greater distances to school. A primary school sub-system of small junior primary schools feeding into larger clustered senior primary schools with hostels bears further investigation. 5.2. Potential criteria for realignment EMIS has recently prepared a study on the reorganisation of very small schools with enrolment less than 100. 25 The schools were distributed throughout the province. The study found 847 schools with less than 100 learners. One significant finding was 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 any schools within a 5km radius that can accommodate the small school? • Does the school have sufficient classrooms to accommodate the 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? In a lot of cases the educators live in the community and attract money to the community 25 EMIS: Preliminary investigative study on reorganisation of schools, August 2004. 40
A comparative analysis of education expenditure in Eastern Cape schools – November 2004 through his/her salary that is spent there. Will the closing of the school have a detrimental effect on the community at large? • Can the community afford not to have a school? • Although there might be a school within a 5km radius, is there a physical boundary that prevents learners from going to school? Some of these criteria are subjective and will be difficult to apply consistently. The information base is however increasingly in place for a systematic review of school location, size, infrastructure and educator provision that would prioritise scarce resources in viable schools to build up quality education. 6. SCENARIOS FOR POST PROVISIONING Three scenarios for post provisioning have been prepared calculating the cost of the educator establishment, and calculating available resources for NPNC and capital, using a computerised simulation of the post provisioning model. The model projects the resulting changes in personnel expenditure in public schools under programme 2 over the forthcoming MTEF period 2005/06 to 2007/08. The impact of this post establishment on the available non-personnel non-capital budget and capital budget in public schools is calculated. In this way the ‘crowding out’ of non-personnel noncapital from a higher post establishment can be modelled and vice-versa. Other scenarios can be tested using the model, but the three scenarios set out here are: 1. No combined schools and no small secondary schools: The impact of recommended realignment of combined schools and senior secondary schools to a more conventional grades R-7 primary school and grades 8-12 secondary school system. The closure of all small secondary schools defined as schools with an enrolment of 300 or less. The implementation of existing space and class norms of a learner:classroom ratio (LCR) of 40:1 in primary schools and 35:1 in secondary schools, and a learner:educator ratio of 35:1 in primary schools and 30:1 in secondary schools. This realignment process phased in over the next 3 year MTEF period. 2. The current establishment of 67,074: Person-to-post matching is currently being completed for the 2004 declared post establishment of 67,124. This establishment is phased in over the forthcoming 3 year MTEF period and posts are filled up to this establishment 3. A new establishment of 61,431: A post establishment of 61,431 is calculated from an average LER of 35:1. This establishment is phased in over the forthcoming 3 year MTEF period. Salary increases agreed in September 2004 in the bargaining councils are projected forward over the next 3 years. A key assumption is that the projected programme 2 budget for the current year 2004/05 and the forthcoming MTEF period 2005/06 to 2007/08 is fixed. Any increase in personnel expenditure must therefore be accommodated by a corresponding reduction in non-personnel expenditure and viceversa. Learner enrolment is assumed to stay unchanged over the period. 41
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Province of the EASTERN CAPE DEPART
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS SUMMARY i 1. INTRODUCTION
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School Community Integration Pilot Project - Department of Education

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