Teacher union, Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysers Unie (SAOU) in the Northern Cape says it is not optimistic about the budget speech that will be tabled.

This comes, as Parliament will today start public hearings into the budget.

Public sector workers are demanding a speedy resolution to the current budget standoff saying many government departments are already in crisis.

The MEC for Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism, Venus Blennies-Magage will also table the provincial budget today.

In 2024, Education received R 25 billion.

SAOU’s Chairperson Henk Brand says the challenges facing the education sector in the province can only be addressed when there is transparency.

Brand says, ” We always hear of big numbers being thrown in the air but we don’t see where the money is going to, even in this financial year, schools in the province struggled with stationery. There was no money to pay service providers, so where is the money?”

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