Education Suffering and here’s why!!!
On my trip to JHB yesterday I had the chance to read “The Star” on the my return flight to Cape Town. I caught on article by Angelique Serrao about the Auditor Generals report into the financial affairs of the various departments within the province.
At the outset I can see why we have many issues facing us on an ongoing basis, as this article makes for some really concerning reading. The mess that these departments find themselves in is absolutely astounding. My post however really only pertains to one thing and that is the issue of education.
I have a focus on this probably because of my very strong belief that as a country and indeed continent we need to focus heavily on education. We need to up-skill our entire population in order to make them competitive in the “real” world.
It was therefore, with huge disgust and horror, that I read that the department of education underspent their budget by some R 816.2 million. This number is absolutely horrific. Serious action needs to be metered out against whoever is running this department. We need to understand how after a year you have not been able to spend your allotted budget.
I presume that this budget was granted based on some sort of a plan of expenditure. The effect of not expending this means that whatever plans were in place are now behind schedule. This also means that come the next budgetary year they will ask for less money, or even worse will be entrusted with less.
Education is the key to the future of this generation and those to come, clearly the government sees this given the allocations that they have made. The problem now appears to be a lack of commitment from the very departments that they have made the funds available too.
For the record:
Department of Health underspent in Gauteng R 165 million (taking into account unauthorised expenditure of R 805.2 million) based on the average state doctors salary this would have employed an additional 450 doctors!
Stirling performances not!
Today therefore we award the dung ball to Gauteng Department of Education………….aw what the hell they can share it with the department of education!
