‘This is not just a fight for teachers or schools. It is a fight for the future of every child in the province. We cannot allow austerity to steal their future.’

by SHARAN KARRIEM

In a packed hall at Community House in Salt River, 150 concerned citizens, teachers and union representatives gathered to protest the Western Cape Provincial Government’s (WCPG) severe budget cuts to education.

The event saw impassioned speeches from figures such as Tony Ehrenreich and members of the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu), alongside former teachers and principals. The message was clear: austerity measures are crippling education, and a united fight is needed to reverse the damage.

Worsening austerity measures in education

The meeting highlighted the Western Cape government’s alarming decision to allocate only 37% of its budget to education, compared to other provinces, which spend up to 41%. According to the speakers, these cuts are exacerbating the challenges already faced by the province’s education system. The crisis, they noted, extends beyond education, with the health and housing sectors facing similar reductions. This has led to a call for a collective fight across social sectors.

Equal Education (EE), an organisation advocating for fair access to education, emphasised that there can be no education without teachers. They condemned the budget cuts as an ‘economic crime against the poor’, noting how they undermine the aspirations of disadvantaged communities. ‘Education justice is needed,’ one EE representative stated, pointing to the province’s long history of unequal resource distribution. The impact of these cuts is vast – each teacher affected by job losses impacts over 40 children in the classroom.

The organisation also raised concerns about transparency in how the WCPG distributes funds, urging the public to demand accountability. They called for protests and pickets outside schools, arguing that direct action is necessary to draw attention to the crisis.

Voices from the floor: the knock-on effect of cuts

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Contributions from the floor painted a broader picture of the struggles students, teachers and entire communities faced. The cancellation of school transport in rural areas was flagged as a serious concern, with children in these regions unable to write their year-end exams due to the lack of school access.

Participants also pointed to the stark contrast between well-resourced former Model C schools and underfunded township schools. The unequal distribution of resources has only worsened in this time of crisis, leaving many students unprepared for their final exams.

Another major theme was the knock-on effects of the cuts. Speakers asked what impact the crisis is having on university students, particularly those training to become teachers, and what the long-term consequences would be for the education system as a whole. The meeting echoed the need for broad alliances to be built between unions, students, teachers and the wider community to challenge the cuts.

A fight for the future

Another revelation that sparked outrage was reallocating funds from the health and education departments to the City of Cape Town for non-essential programmes like training tour guides and law enforcement officers.

‘How can this be justified while education crumbles?’ one attendee asked.

Statistics showing that 81% of Grade 4 learners in the Western Cape can barely read or comprehend what they are reading underlined this stark reality – a direct consequence of underfunded schools, overcrowded classrooms, and poor infrastructure. The province’s matric results have also steadily fallen behind other regions in recent years, which many believe is tied to ongoing budget cuts.

The meeting ended with a renewed call for action. Speakers emphasised that austerity should not be applied to social services, especially not education, which is the foundation of the future. They said the fight against overcrowded classrooms, high school fees and the crumbling infrastructure must continue, urging communities to unite in solidarity to demand better for all learners.

The collective spirit of the event was captured in the closing remarks:

‘This is not just a fight for teachers or schools. It is a fight for the future of every child in the province. We cannot allow austerity to steal their future.’

This article has been updated to correct the erroneous reference to Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC) as the hosts of the event.