Expenditure Patterns in respect of Infrastructure (ASIDI), Conditional Grants & Equity in Education: FFC briefing; with Minister and Deputy Minister

Video The Committee met with the Financial and Fiscal Commission (FFC) and the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to discuss equitable funding, learner outcomes, and school infrastructure. The FFC highlighted the challenges facing South African basic education, where 13.5 million learners in nearly 25 000 public schools experienced disparities in resources, infrastructure, and academic performance, despite education receiving 13.5% of the national budget in 2024/25. Public schools faced higher learner-to-educator ratios compared to independent schools, while performance gaps remained pronounced between Quintile 5 and lower-quintile schools, suggesting the need for performance-adjusted funding in addition to poverty-based allocations. The FFC presented data on funding mechanisms, noting that core allocations through the Provincial Equitable Share (PES) and conditional grants, such as the Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG), the Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) grant, and the School Infrastructure Backlogs Grant (SIBG), had improved some areas but remained hampered by inconsistent allocation, underspending, and weak linkage to learning outcomes. Infrastructure challenges persisted in historically disadvantaged provinces, with many schools still relying on pit latrines and having limited access to libraries, laboratories, and information communication technology (ICT). The FFC's recommendations emphasised revising funding norms to incorporate both poverty and performance metrics, improving MST grant effectiveness, strengthening oversight, and fostering intergovernmental collaboration to enhance infrastructure delivery. Committee Members highlighted ongoing concerns, including ministerial accountability, systemic inequities, and persistent infrastructure backlogs that affected learner safety, sanitation, and learning environments, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. They stressed that despite large budgets, weak planning, procurement inefficiencies and poorly aligned grant structures continued to hinder tangible improvements. Learner welfare, especially for vulnerable groups such as learners with disabilities and schoolgirls requiring menstrual hygiene support, was identified as a critical priority. Members also emphasised the importance of reliable, evidence-based data to track the impact of funding and interventions, and called for performance-linked accountability mechanisms to ensure resources translated into improved learner outcomes. In response, the DBE reported progress in addressing infrastructure backlogs, but recognised remaining challenges, particularly in respect of maintenance, contractor management, and equitable access. It highlighted improvements in Quintiles 1–3, with bachelor pass rates approaching 70%, and outlined ongoing efforts to streamline grant management and improve outcomes-based accountability. The Department confirmed plans for inclusive infrastructure, disability access, menstrual hygiene support, and safety measures, and proposed merging the SIBG into the EIG to enhance oversight and delivery efficiency. The meeting concluded with an emphasis on moving from discussion to action, prioritising measurable improvements in learner outcomes, equitable resource allocation, and infrastructure delivery. Future engagements would involve multiple stakeholders, including Treasury, school governing bodies and teachers’ unions, to develop a funding model that was both equitable and performance-driven. The FFC reaffirmed its commitment to providing data-driven support for oversight, evaluation, and policy guidance, while the Committee stressed accountability for ministerial commitments and adherence to deadlines to ensure a practical impact on South African schools.