Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier rubbishes claims made regarding the cutting of teaching posts.
Image: Tracey Adams / IOL
By David Maynier
I am deeply disturbed by the false claims made by the consultant, Dr Seelan Naidoo, regarding the allocation of teaching posts to our schools.
This is his second piece of political propaganda disguised as alleged research, and these tired attacks on our schools need to stop.
Let us debunk his false claims in turn.
Anyone posing as an education researcher would be aware that the formula determining how the total number of teaching posts gets divided between schools is provided by the national government, according to the Personnel Administration Measures for Educators as issued by the Department of Basic Education.
The formula takes into account class sizes, the workload of teachers, the size of the school, language, curriculum, poverty, and other factors.
Only Special Needs schools were excluded from a reduction in posts, given the nature of their teaching and learning environment.
Therefore, the claim that post reductions were made at schools based on quintiles is patently false.
Dr Naidoo’s own research document disproves his claim that Quintile 5 schools were the least affected by teaching post reductions.
He indicates that the majority of the schools that have had zero posts cut are Quintile 1, 2 and 3 (no-fee) schools, and that the quintile with the highest number of schools with zero posts cut is Quintile 1.
He also indicates that the quintile with the highest number of schools with posts cut is: Quintile 5.
This information comes from the table that astoundingly Dr Naidoo has included with his own opinion piece.
Therefore, claims that Quintile 5 schools were the least affected are nonsensical and false, according to Dr Naidoo’s own document.
Members of parliament request information from our department through questions to the provincial minister.
In this case, the member requested, via questions for written reply, a) a list of the schools that had lost posts as a result of the reduction in the overall basket of posts, and b) the number of posts affected at each school.
This information was provided last year.
Twice.
Therefore, claims that the information was hidden are very clearly false.
For the second time, I provide this advice to Dr Naidoo:
As we say in education, a little homework goes a long way.
We suggest that he do some.
* David Maynier is the MEC for Education in the Western Cape.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.