Gauteng Education slams ‘false’ claims of 64% cut to Quintile 5 school funding
The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has strongly rejected claims that it has slashed funding to Quintile 5 schools by 64%, describing the allegations as “false, misleading, and reckless”.
The department said no such cut has been implemented and accused critics of deliberately distorting information that had been made public as early as October 2025.
“At no point has the GDE implemented a 64% reduction in school funding,” the department said.
Instead, GDE explained that it had introduced an interim funding realignment process following severe budget reductions imposed by the National Treasury, which have affected all provinces.
According to the department, the changes are aligned with the National Norms and Standards for School Funding set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and will take effect from April 1, 2026.
Schools were formally notified through indicative budget allocation certificates issued in September last year.
“The Department further clarified that this process does not constitute a budget cut, but rather a realignment to nationally prescribed adequacy rates, particularly correcting the historical funding of certain Quintile 5 fee-paying schools.”
GDE said the current arrangement is a temporary stabilisation measure to manage a R444 million shortfall in the current financial year and a projected R160 million gap over the 2026 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.
Despite these pressures, the department said classrooms have been protected and teaching and learning continue without disruption.
“Despite these constraints, the GDE has prioritised the protection of classrooms, ensured that teaching and learning continue uninterrupted, and honoured its commitments to Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) payments in full and on time,” the statement read.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane placed the blame squarely on national budget cuts.
“It must be stated clearly and without ambiguity: Gauteng’s financial pressures are the direct result of national budget cuts,” Chiloane said.
He added that the Department of Basic Education, which sets national funding norms, was fully aware of the challenges.
“The Department of Basic Education (DBE), under the leadership of the Democratic Alliance (DA), is fully aware of the funding pressures facing provinces, including Gauteng. The DBE has been repeatedly engaged on these matters, yet meaningful relief has not materialised, leaving provinces to absorb the impact,” Chiloane said.
He accused the DA of political opportunism.
“The sudden outrage being manufactured by DA is therefore disingenuous and politically opportunistic. It is dishonest to accuse provinces of cutting school funding while remaining silent about the national budget cuts imposed by National Treasury,” he said.
Chiloane also dismissed calls for petitions to be delivered to the provincial department.
“If there is a petition to be delivered, it should be delivered to the Department of Basic Education, which is responsible for national funding norms and allocations, and which the DA itself leads. Provinces cannot be scapegoated for implementing national policy under constrained budgets that we do not control,” he said.
The GDE said it remains committed to transparent communication, equitable funding, and the protection of public education in Gauteng.
“The GDE will not allow misinformation to undermine confidence in the public schooling system or be distracted from the real issue, the urgent need for sustainable national funding solutions,” the department said.
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