Provincial education allocations are part of the block grant from the national revenue fund. The education component of the equitable shares is a nominal amount based largely on demographic data. This education component is not a ring-fenced allocation for education, but merely a means of ensuring that the funds available to provincial governments approximate basic needs. It is this formula that is being re-considered by the Financial and Fiscal Commission, which is responding to representations made by my Department, among others. I indicated in my opening speech that the provincial MECs and I were meeting the FFC this very afternoon to discuss their new proposals.
Provincial governments make their own decisions on allocations by department.
However, I do not want to sound complacent. Mr Gaum of the NNP drew some rather dramatic conclusions from his reading of the provisional provincial education budget allocations. He is of the view that the provincial departments will be shedding teaching posts. Allow me to state the position. The government, not just the Ministry of Education, is committed to achieve a better balance of personnel to non-personnel spending.