The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) maintains that it is fighting against national budget cuts, amid news that it will let go of over 2 400 teachers ahead of the 2025 academic year.
The controversial move has sparked a public outcry.
Teachers in the Western Cape say they've been notified of significant job cuts from next year. It comes amid a massive budgetary shortfall for the province over the next three years. Newzroom Afrika's @Nasiphi_Same has more.
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Education MEC David Maynier is sticking to his guns, by saying that the educators in question are not being dismissed or retrenched:
“The WCED will be working closely with schools to determine which teachers will be affected. We are not firing teachers, and we are not retrenching teachers,” said Maynier.
READ MORE: 2047 teaching positions to be eliminated by WCED in 2025
Schools were informed of the WCED’s decision when it issued a notice to principals last week.
“The reduction in posts will mean that some contract teachers will not be reappointed after their contracts end on 31 December 2024, and some permanent teachers will be asked to move to another school where there is a suitable vacancy,” added Maynier