Page 350 - Demo

Estimates of the Provincial Revenue and Expenditure (EPRE) %u2013 2025/26 Financial Year%u25cf Ensure increased performance in Mathematics and Science through sound utilisation of resources provided under Maths, Science and Technology Grant. %u25cf Support quality education through timely supply of qualified educators, adequate provision of classroom resources such as learner teacher support material, school furniture, infrastructure development, including innovatively addressing the existing backlogs on an ongoing basis. %u25cf Ensure adequate funding learners in the %u201cNo Fee Schools%u201d in line with the National Norms and Standards for School Funding Policy. %u25cf Facilitating access to education for learners from poor households through the provision of National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), with special focus on learner well-being and increase the number of schools provided with breakfast from impoverished communities. %u25cf Continued rationalization of small and unviable schools whilst ensuring fair distribution of resources and improvement of academic performance. This includes merger and realignment of schools. %u25cf Maximum utilisation of Provincial Teacher Development Institutes (PTDI%u2019s) to improve the capacity of educators, School Managers and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) as well as school communities. %u25cf Enhance support to schools through an appropriate Service Delivery Model (SDM) and strengthen support to circuit offices and improve the overall functionality of schools. %u25cf Focusing on Inclusive Education to ensure inclusivity irrespective of learner%u2019s disabilities, establish School Based Support Teams and ensure that teachers are trained on how to deal with learners with Special Needs. This includes training teachers on Screening, Identification Assessment and Support (SIAS), Sign Language, Braile etc. %u25cf Prioritising transformation initiatives like Inclusive Education's Bonke Ngabethu programme and the Language in Education Policy (LiEP) top priority. %u25cf Work towards compliance to gender based responsive planning and budgetting i.e ensuring disaggregation in planning to ensure that women, youth, and people with disabilities are taken care off. Also, contributing towards youth development by providing internships, bursaries, and training programmes. %u25cf Enhance learners%u2019 skills and performance through continued participation in both extra and cocurricular activities. %u25cf Maximising integration of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) into teaching and learning by resourcing schools with e-learning material and solutions. %u25cf Implementation of the Three Streams Model (TSM). 1.5 Demands for and expected changes in the services The department acknowledges the recent enactment of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act, which bears expectation and demands in education system including the impact it has on Early Childhood Development and the overall support of this policy initiative. The implementation of the BELA Act is expected to enhance the resources available for ECD programs, allowing for improved infrastructure, training, and support services. This will further increase enrolment of children at foundation phase, coupled with enormous demand for ECD facilities in the province. 329