Cape Town - While the number of pupils in South Africa grew by more than 2 percent since 2014, the number of teachers decreased by 1.5 percent, a new report reveals.
The School Realities 2016 report, published by the Department of Basic Education, also showed the number of schools in the country decreased by 0.6 percent over the same period. According to the report, there were 12.6 million pupils in the system in 2014. This increased to 12.9 million this year.
The number of teachers decreased from 425 090 in 2014 to to 418 611 this year, while the number of schools decreased from 25 741 to 25 574.
Paul Colditz, chief executive of the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools, said the report highlighted the important supporting role governing bodies played in increasing teacher numbers at schools, which resulted in smaller class sizes at these schools.
In terms of teacher to pupil ratio, the report showed there was one teacher for every 32.5 pupils in public schools, but when teachers employed by governing bodies were taken out of the equation, this increased to one teacher for every 35.7 pupils. He said the need for more teachers was more urgent in certain subjects like maths and science.
Elijah Mhlanga, spokesman for the Department of Basic Education, said that in 2013/14 about 15 901 teachers left the system while 6 762 entered.
And the protests at universities around the country could exacerbate the problem. “We estimate this year all universities will produce 21 000 graduates, but if the disruptions continue we might face a serious challenge in the basic education sector.”
Jessica Shelver, spokeswoman for Education MEC Debbie Schäfer, said the report came as no surprise as the ministry was well aware of challenges, including high numbers of pupils migrating in search of a better education in the Western Cape.
“The large numbers of inward migration to this province has massive financial and planning consequences, impacting on the provisioning of education resources and the overall management of the system.
“To accommodate all these additional learners requires an extra 22 to 24 schools per year, at a cost of approximately R50 million each, and more than 700 educators. On average, every learner in the Western Cape costs the public purse around R12 000 each year. This includes their norms and standards allocations and educator salaries averaged on a per learner basis.”
Since 2009, 95 new schools had been built, while three schools will be completed by the end of the financial year.
Earlier this year, the Cape Argus reported the number of teaching posts in the Western Cape would not increase next year. At the time Shelver said negotiated wage increases, which were well above the rate of inflation, had resulted in a funding shortfall.
Cape Argus