R700m for tech schools

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has been allocated over R700 million to address shortcomings at technical schools across the country.

This figure will be split over four financial years. The first sum of R80 million was allocated for the current 2010/11 financial year.

A further R200 million has been allocated for the 2011/12 financial year, R210 million for 2012/13 and R221 million for 2013/14.

This was revealed by minister of basic education Angie Motshekga, in a written response to a question at the National Council of Provinces.

The minister said there are currently 1 046 public and independent technical high schools in the country.

“Nine hundred and sixty of these schools are public schools offering one or more technology subjects offered in the curriculum in grades 10-12 (civil, electrical, mechanical technology and engineering, graphics and design).”

She added that in 2009, the department conducted an audit of 200 public technical secondary schools to assess the conditions of these schools with the aim of addressing the shortage of resources.

“The identified schools are allocated as follows across all provinces: Eastern Cape (31), Free State (18), Gauteng (39), KwaZulu-Natal (32), Limpopo (24), Mpumalanga (15), Northern Cape (10), North West (22), and Western Cape (9).”

She added that the recapitalisation process will be achieved through several activities. These include building workshops to support the technical subject offerings; refurbishing or re-designing workshops to comply with safety laws and regulations, and to meet minimum industry standards; buying and installing new machinery and equipment consistent with the technology subjects that are offered in technical schools; and training and up-skilling teachers at technical schools to acquire new trends, practical skills, and developments in their subjects.

“It is further planned that provincial departments will focus on the maintenance and top-up of the facilities through their equitable share allocations once the conditional grant has been completed.”