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Overview of the Provincial Revenue and Expenditure (OPRE %u2013 2025/26)In terms of the growth rates for the clusters in 2025/26, the GSCID cluster has the highest increase at 14 per cent followed by the increase of 4.9 per cent in the SPCHD cluster with the ESIEID Cluster having the lowest increase of 0.1 per cent. The GSCID cluster increase is the highest as the province reprioritised funding from departments to the Office of the Premier for centralised broadband services. In addition to the funding for the wage agreement over the medium term, departments received additional funding through the allocations made from the Provincial Equitable Share (PES) formula and from the provincial reserves to address policy priorities and cost pressures. Details of the allocations is provided under the discussion of the departments below. Social Protection, Community and Human Development (SPCHD) Cluster The Custer comprises of three departments: Education, Health and Social Development. For the 2025/26 financial year, the resource envelope for the cluster amounts to R79.404 billion and it further grows to R84.929 billion in the outer year of the 2025 MTEF. An analysis of the departments%u2019 budget in this cluster, is provided below. Department of Education The department%u2019s budget allocation is provided to respond to educational needs in various facets of the education system, within the context of national and provincial action strategies. The primary focus of the department is on improved education outcomes and providing learning opportunities to develop the child holistically. The mandate of the department is to provide quality basic education to all children of compulsory school-going age. All qualifying and vulnerable learners from schools located in the most impoverished communities are to be provided with nutritious feeding under the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). All identified, qualifying learners under the %u201cNo fee school policy%u201d are to be supported through the Norms and Standards for school funding across all Quintiles schools. Ageing school infrastructure will be refurbished/repaired/renovated and new schools to be constructed as part of Infrastructure Development Programme. The Department will further continue providing adequate resources such as Learner Teacher Support Material (LTSM) and school furniture to enable learners to be better prepared for an ultimate success in the world of work, the universalisation of Early Childhood Development (ECD), as well as the continued improvement in the quality of education through the timely supply of qualified educators in public schools, including training and development thereof, as part of the Educational Transformation Plan (ETP). Education receives the largest share of the Provincial Budget, averaged at 45 per cent share of the allocation over the medium-term period. A total amount of R138.987 billion is allocated towards the department over the 2025 MTEF period. For 2025/26 the allocation amounts to R44.636 billion, representing a 5.1 per cent growth increase from the 2024/25 revised estimates of R42.452 billion. Over the 2025 MTEF, there are additional allocations of R1.329 billion as part of Equitable Share funding that have been made available to the department. As part of equitable share, funding was provided by national for the wage agreement amounting to R322.624 million in 2025/26 and R1.042 billion over 2025 MTEF as well as the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) of R165.697 million in 2025/26. Furthermore, there are allocations for the provision of Hostel catering for Public Schools of R34.894 million in 2025/26 and R38.778 million in 2026/27. Also, in 2026/27 funding of R40 million was provided for the norms and standards funding towards 66