'NOT ATTACK ON AFRIKAANS SCHOOLS'

Gauteng Education rejects bias claim, says all top schools face subsidy cuts

- ANITA NKONKI

THE Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has rubbished claims that Afrikaans schools are being singled out following its decision to cut subsidies for Quintile 5 schools by almost 65%.

The department says the view is unfounded, noting that Afrikaans schools make up only a small fraction - 108 out of 657 - of all Quintile 5 schools in the province, and that the cuts apply across the board, not to any specific language group.

Freedom Front Plus has described the department's decision as “an indirect, but obvious, attack on Afrikaans schools in Gauteng... not only placing them under financial strain, but also undermining the sustainability of quality education in Afrikaans” and criticised the lack of consultation.

Advocate Anton Alberts, Freedom Front Plus MPL: Gauteng, said: “In a province where education is already under pressure, it is unacceptable that a specific language community has to bear the greatest burden, without prior consultation or clear justification.”

The Department of Education explained that the decision to review allocations was informed by its financial status and emphasised that Afrikaans schools make up only about 16% of all Quintile 5 schools.

“The subsidy cuts affect the entire group, not just Afrikaans schools,” the department said.