David Manyier, the MEC of Education in the Western Cape has announced the creation of 477 teaching jobs to address increased learner enrollment in the 2025 academic year.
Image: Facebook/David Maynier
Despite over 2,400 teachers facing losing their jobs in the Western Cape, the provincial MEC of Education David Maynier, has announced plans to hire 477 new teachers for new schools and new classrooms.
He said the new teaching positions are part of “growth posts”, due to growth in learner enrollment in the 2025 academic year.
Maynier confirmed that the province enrolled over 1.2 million learners in public schools on Wednesday, as the schools reopened for the new academic year.
He said that during his back-to-school visit at the Timour Hall Primary School in Plumstead, joined by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, where they welcomed 107,000 Grade 1s entering “big school” for the first time.
Maynier said 100,000 Grade 8s are also starting their high school careers in the province.
The provincial education system continues to grow, Maynier said, adding that the department is taking steps to accommodate the increase in learner numbers this year, despite severe budget constraints.
“To create more space for learners, we are working to complete nine new schools and 265 additional classrooms in total for learners in the 2025 school year,” he said.
Maynier added that this includes six new schools and 180 classrooms for January 2025.
Last year in December, during his adjustment budget speech, he said the department would make provision for the new schools and new classrooms to have teachers.
“I said that we would fight for our teachers, and we continue to do so,” Maynier said.
As part of this effort, the department would create up to 477 new “growth posts” for schools with significant increase in learner numbers in 2025 and provide staff for the new schools that are being completed.
However, the employment of new teachers comes after the department announced last year that it will cut over 2,400 teaching jobs this year, due a budget deficit.
According to the department, the decision came after they received only 64% of the cost of the nationally-negotiated wage agreement, leaving the province to fund the remaining 36%.
This resulted in a budget shortfall of R3.8 billion over the next three years.
The decision led to an outcry from opposition parties in the province including the ANC, GOOD Party, strongly opposing the decision and calling on the Western Cape government to join hands to fight the teaching cuts.
The provincial South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) has also joined the outcry, urging on saving over 2,400 teaching jobs.
However, in a shocking twist, Maynier said the department’s head has sent a letter to schools informing them about the 477 teaching posts.
He said the allocation of the posts will be based on the data from the department’s 10-day SNAP survey, which confirms the number of new learners enrolling in schools.
“While this decision will have further implications for our budget deficit, it is crucial that our new and existing schools have the resources they need to accommodate additional learners in 2025,” Maynier said.
Meanwhile, he said in terms of admissions in public schools in the province, as of January 14, the department allocated places for 118,914, or 98% of the learners for whom applications were received for Grade 1 and 8 for the 2025 school year by December 31, 2024.
He said the placement is in progress for 2,478, or 2%, of Grade 1 and 8 learners.
“However, since the start of the year, new extremely late applications have been received for over 300 Grade 1 and 8 learners for the current school year.”
Maynier acknowledged that this is a stressful and anxious period for parents who are waiting for placements.
”We are asking parents to work with us as we try to accommodate their children as soon as possible,” he said.
Maynier urged parents who have not yet applied for the 2025 school year to do so immediately at their education district office.
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