A political storm has erupted over school funding in Gauteng, with more than 10 000 residents backing the Democratic Alliance petition against what it calls “cruel” budget cuts, a claim the provincial government has fiercely denied.
The DA said that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has slashed funding to Quintile 5 schools by 64%, warning that the decision will erode education standards and force schools to cut essential programmes.
DA Gauteng spokesperson for Education Michael Waters said the petition sends a clear message.
“Parents, teachers, and communities will not stand by while the quality of education in disadvantaged communities is deliberately undermined.
“The DA has consistently stated that the department’s decision to slash funding to quintile 5 schools by 64% will negatively affect standards of education at these schools, as schools will have to cut essential programmes. We have also made it clear that these are not regular accounting adjustments; they are a direct attack on learners’ futures.”
Waters said each signature reflects growing anxiety among families.
“Every signature represents a parent worried about overcrowded classrooms. Every signature represents a teacher trying to do more with fewer resources. Every signature represents a learner whose opportunity is being taken away,” added.
He warned that if the cuts proceed, schools could face a financial crisis, forcing governing bodies to increase school fees, a burden that would fall hardest on poorer families.
But the GDE has flatly rejected claims of a 64% cut, describing them as false and misleading.
Spokesperson Steve Mabona said schools were formally informed of projected allocations as early as September 2025 through indicative budget certificates, ensuring transparency and adequate notice. He stressed that the adjustments do not constitute a budget cut, but rather a realignment in line with nationally prescribed funding adequacy rates.
“At no point has the GDE implemented a 64% reduction in school funding,” Mabona said, adding that the department is managing a R444 million shortfall in the current financial year and a projected R160 million shortfall over the 2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.
The department maintains that the funding changes form part of a temporary stabilisation intervention necessitated by severe reductions imposed by the National Treasury, affecting provinces nationwide.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane escalated the clash, accusing the DA of political opportunism.
“The sudden outrage being manufactured by the DA is therefore disingenuous and politically opportunistic. It is dishonest to accuse provinces of cutting school funding while remaining silent about the national budget cuts imposed by the National Treasury.”
He added that the Department of Basic Education (DBE), under DA leadership, is fully aware of the financial pressures facing provinces but has failed to provide meaningful relief.
“If there is a petition to be delivered, it should be delivered to the Department of Basic Education, which is responsible for national funding norms and allocations, and which the DA itself leads. Provinces cannot be scapegoated for implementing national policy under constrained budgets that we do not control,” Chiloane said.
The Star
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