Concerns poor areas will be hardest-hit by teacher job cuts

CAPE TOWN - The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) said that teacher job cuts in the Western Cape will be devastating for schools in impoverished and crime-ridden areas.

The Western Cape Education department cut the posts this week, citing a three billion rand budget cut from national government, announced in August last year.

NAPTOSA Executive Director Basil Manuel said that areas like Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, where more than 300 teachers have lost their jobs, will be the hardest-hit.

"We have a basket of posts and that basket is being reduced by 2,400 in a province that is experiencing an increase in the number of learners. So, what that really means is with the loss of teachers we must see class sizes increase."