In an effort to address challenges within the education system, government is expected to spend around R1.4 trillion over the next three years for both higher and basic education on learning and culture.
This was announced during the 2023 Budget Speech delivered by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana.
Godongwana noted that the basic education sector will receive 66.9% of [the learning and culture] funding over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.
According to National Treasury, the Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) spending in the coming fiscal year 2023/24 is expected to rise from R39.4 billion, to R316.5 billion in 2024/25 and then reach around R331.2 billion in 2025/26.
Government has also allocated additional funding of R20 billion through the provincial equitable share, to cover shortfalls in basic education compensation budgets.
Funding for the national school nutrition programme grant has also been increased by R1.5 billion over the MTEF period to ensure that the meals provided to learners meet nutritional requirements.
Additionally, the Early Childhood Development (ECD) will be given a financial boost to serve more children.
The ECD sector will receive an additional R1.6 billion over the medium term to increase the number of children receiving the early childhood development subsidy.
Additional funding of around R198 million is allocated in 2023/24 to enable provision of early childhood development resource packages, which include daily activity plans linked to the National Curriculum Framework.
He added that over the MTEF period, R30 million will be allocated to improve the DBE oversight and capacity for managing the programme.
Furthermore, R1.5 billion has also been allocated over the next three years for the Gauteng school infrastructure improvement project.
To provide additional support to the damaged schools during the devastating April 2022 floods both in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, around R283.3 million has also been allocated to the department to repair schools.
