Educating our children

He also announced the expansion of early childhood education and the school nutrition programme.

"Education is central to our objective of broadening opportunity and fighting poverty," he told MPs in his Budget address.

"We have an obligation to ensure that our democracy is invigorated by schools that are equipped and furnished, (and) curricula that are right for our times.

"And in the words of the January eighth statement of the ANC: teachers in school, in class, on time, teaching; no abuse of learners and no neglect of duty. Non-negotiable."

Largest expenditure

Education in the coming year will account for R121.1bn , making it yet again the largest single category of spending in the Budget.

Manuel said early childhood education would be expanded to about 600 000 more children, which would put basic pre-school education within reach of even the poorest of households.

The school nutrition programme would grow by over 30% next year, "so that we can feed more children, in more schools, more days of the year".

According to the Budget Review, tabled along with his speech, the nutrition programme is to get an extra R1.8bn.

Currently the programme provided meals to six million learners in 18 000 schools.

Disabled learners

The review also said education for learners with disabilities was being expanded.

"To strengthen the quality of teaching and learning, support is provided for improved remuneration of education personnel," it said.

Manuel also said that there would be additional allocations this year for higher education and the national student financial aid scheme, and further education and training (FET) colleges were being recapitalised.

Revenue from the skills development levy was projected to rise to over R9bn by 2010/11.

Government was exploring ways in which these funds could be used to support FET colleges.

- Sapa