The Western Cape Education Department has announced that it is in a position to appoint over 1000 new teachers for the 2023 academic year.
This is a massive increase from the 300 additional teaching posts filled this year.
MEC David Maynier says this will be a much needed boost to the system.
Maynier says he met with stakeholders last month as part of the Annual Consultation process according to the provisions of the Employment of Educators’ Act, and shared the news that the Basket of Affordable Posts for teachers will be increased by 1 143 posts for 2023.
Where these teachers will be placed has not yet been finalised.
Maynier says in previous years, the Department’s budget only allowed them expand by as little as 6 additional posts, as seen in 2016, with increases thereafter.
“What this increase does is to put us in a better position to expand learning opportunities and deliver quality education in the Western Cape.”
Schools will be informed by the end of August whether they will be allocated additional teacher posts.
Maynier says together with Provincial Treasury, they’ve worked hard to make this happen.
The extra budget allocation we received this year has made this increase to the Basket of Posts possible.
Our principals, teachers, and staff are our greatest asset, and they are always willing and able to share their experience and knowledge with those joining our schools through our new post allocations.
I thank them for their hard work this year, and I have no doubt that we will continue to see the excellence in teaching that our province is well known for.
The extra posts will bring the total number of public school teachers in the province to 36 417.
According to some estimates, between 18 000 and 21 000 learners come to the Western Cape from other provinces annually, before the admission process begins for the academic year, which means not only are more teachers needed, but also more classrooms and schools.
The Western Cape Education Department last year said it would need to build 19 new schools a year to tackle the increasing number of pupils that need to be placed.
Since the 2016/17 financial year, the WCED has built 72 new, replacement and mobile schools.
10 schools were completed last year and 6 new schools were set for completion this year.
