The two departments, together with Social Development, will amongst others have to address questions on how they are planning to deal with and prevent the spreading of the coronavirus pandemic. Their budget votes comes weeks after the Provincial MEC for Finance, Gadija Brown, on July 7 announced additional funds for various departments. 

Following President Cyril Ramaphosa's address last night, where he announced a four weeks break for public schools, Provincial Education MEC Tate Makgoe will during his speech be expected to outline measures set to be taken to ensure that schools are fully prepared for teachers and learners' return. Questions regarding schools' feeding schemes during the month long break are amongst those he will be expected to address.  

Tabling the provincial 2020/21 Adjustment Budget, Brown outlined that an additional R45.5 million has been allocated to the Free State Department of Education to assist with preparations of schools for the return of learners and teachers.

She announced that the bulk of the this budget will go towards the school feeding programme, enhancing norms and standards in schools, learner transport programmes and learner-teacher support material.

Brown highlighted that the Basic Education Department, together with National Treasury, repurposed some of the education conditional grants to assist in preparation of schools for the phasing in of pupils.

Whilst Covid-19 cases continue to surge countrywide, Brown highlighted that an additional R667.2 million has been allocated to the Provincial Health Department, to spend strictly on Covid-19 response measures.

“This allocation is over and above the procurement of PPEs, procured by Provincial Treasury on behalf of this department. We note with appreciation the sterling work executed by the department and our private partners during these trying times. The Department of Health will spend more than R38.494 billion over the next Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. This budget is spread as follows over MTEF - R12.477 billion in 2020/21, R12.691 billion in 2021/22 and R13.326 billion in 2022/23,” she said.

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