WC's 2025/26 education budget widely rejected, criticised
Provincial Education MEC David Maynier has tabled a 33 point 3 billion Rand budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
FILE: Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier. Picture: @WCEDnews/X
CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape education budget has been widely rejected and criticised by most opposition political parties in the legislature.
Provincial Education MEC David Maynier has tabled a R33.3 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year.
The African National Congress (ANC)'s Khalid Sayed said that the budget did not serve all learners, it maintains privilege for some and ignores hardship for the rest.
"We reject this budget not out of petty politics, but out of principle. Because the people of this province deserve one education system, not two. One future, not two. One Western Cape, not one for the rich and one for the poor."
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)'s Aishah Cassiem said that education in the province remained exclusionary when it came to quantile 4 and 5 schools, especially if not white.
"Speaker, the result is that the majority of these African and Coloured learners are deprived of placement in their preferred chosen schools across the province, and in turn offered placement in township schools. This then begs the question as to why white learners are never offered placements in schools located in Coloured and African townships."