School principals across KwaZulu-Natal are resorting to using their personal salaries to keep schools running as the Department of Education (DOE) fails to deliver promised funding.

Teacher unions report that principals are being harassed by unpaid suppliers, while facing pressure to maintain educational standards despite financial constraints.

A Durban principal, who did not want to be named, said he often found himself digging into his own pockets to keep his school running.

He said the lack of school funds was an ongoing problem and they were faced with monthly bills for utilities, stationery, textbooks and other essential supplies.

“I think of my pupils when I reach into my pockets to pay for basic necessities like printing paper, books and sometimes even for the times water and electricity bills. We are always looking for sponsors to help us. But is it someone else's job to pay for the basics at school? The Department of Education should be taking responsibility for the public entity,” said the disgruntled principal.

“Sadly, the DOE does not give us an adequate budget, which would allow us to pay for all the expenses and pupils' needs. The allocations for this year have not been met. Now we find ourselves being hounded by the suppliers for their payments. It’s stressful because the bill is not ours to pay. But here we are trying our best to pay the DOE’s debts, so we can keep our schools running for the benefit of our pupils,” he added.

“The reality is that we also fear for our lives when the suppliers demand payment. We never have the money ," he said.

Doctor Ngema, of the National Teachers' Union (NATU), said they were aware of such challenges at schools and that the situation was dire.

“Quite a number of principals are having difficulty in running their schools because they have to use their salaries to buy basic essentials to run the school. This includes things like ink and toner for photocopying machines, buying prepaid electricity and paying for water. These are just to name a few. There are quite a lot of other challenges that they are faced with because the DOE has not paid the norms and standards to schools.

“As we speak, they are being harassed by the service providers of textbooks and exercise books. At the beginning of the year, schools did not receive funding to purchase those learning and teaching support material. They were advised to enter into contracts with service providers,” said Ngema.

He said the department had not paid for the textbooks, which had been delivered by service providers to the schools.

“The contract was on the basis that the department had committed to pay the money to schools before the end of March. Actually, they had said before the end of February. But this time has come and gone. The service providers are now harassing principals, asking them where their money is. So the situation is very bad,” he said.

"NATU is engaging with the DOE and asking them to expedite the processes to ensure that schools get their money. It is not right for principals to use their own money – which they work hard to earn - to run the state entities such as schools,” said Ngema.

He said they were urging the DOE to intervene because they had advised the principals to enter into contracts with certain service providers.

“We cannot allow for such a situation. In some cases, we have found that schools damaged in the 2022 floods have still not been repaired. The roofs are leaking in some instances.

“We are really pleading with the DOE and the KZN government to intervene and ensure that the schools get their funding on time,” added Ngema.

Nomarashiya Caluza, provincial secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU), shared the same sentiment as Ngema. .

“The failure of the DOE to pay the basic allocation has resulted in some principals using their own money to support their schools. This is because principals get a lot of pressure from teachers and pupils who expect the principal to provide resources for teaching and learning. It is expected that the principal will have the answers why the school is struggling.

“The very same DOE demands that all schools must perform and holds the principal accountable should things go wrong in terms of performance forgetting that it is the Department that does not provide financial support to schools,” said Caluza.

She said the principals feared for their safety when the suppliers demanded their payments.

“Some of these principals fear for their lives now as they are pressured by service providers who offered services to schools with the hope that the department would keep its promise. In January the department did not have money to pay schools as a result some schools did not have stationery and textbooks and the department asked providers to supply schools while promising to pay within 30 days something that has not happened,” said Caluza.

Muzi Mahlambi, the head of communications at KZN Department of Education, said: "This is an undesirable situation. The department is trying its best under very trying circumstances. We are hopeful that we will turn the corner."

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Principals pay for basics as department funding falters