Learner Transport An analysis of learner transport provision in KZN: A case for a conditional grant

Outline Background on EE Learner transport provision in KZN Expenditure Trend Data Analysis EE Advocacy Learner transport court case Proposed Solution Conditional grant

Background Equal Education is a membership-based, democratic movement of learners, parents, teachers, and community members. EE’s core objective is working to achieve quality and equality in South African education. In order to achieve its objectives, EE conducts a broad range of activities, which include campaigns grounded in detailed research and policy analysis that is supported by public action and mobilisation, and where necessary legal action. The movement is driven primarily by its learner members in high schools across five provinces: the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu- Natal, the Western Cape, and Gauteng.

Background Since 2014, EE has been advocating for the provision of learner transport to all learners who qualify Equalisers in Nquthu, in northern KZN, identified lack of learner transport as a barrier to accessing quality education Although our campaign began in Nquthu, the issue is a country-wide one Year after year, the lack of scholar transport has affected learners, particularly in rural areas

Learner Transport Provision in KZN 2007 KZN DoE identified a need to deliver learner transport to small rural and farm schools Department pilots subsidy for 3 Durban metropolitan districts Project manager appointed to assist in preliminary data collection Pilot is a success 2008 DoE allocated funds for learner transport Two issues remained unresolved 1. The policy 2. The placement of learner transport

Learner Transport Provision in KZN 2009 – 2013 Learner transport became a feature on the KZN DoE budget (Vote 5) Learner transport, located as a sub-programme of the education budget under Programme 2: Public Ordinary Schools DoT realised it had an obligation to assist with the provision of learner transport, the functions of each department were separated as follows: DoE: verification of learner numbers and planning DoT: route planning and management of operators

Learner Transport Provision in KZN 2014 Shift of learner transport from KZN DoE to KZN DoT resulted in its suspension from the education budget The KZN DoE felt the provisioning of learner transport ought to be determined at various districts, given distances travelled Learner transport was a sub-programme of the DoT’s Programme 3: Public Transport Services DoE maintained its function of identifying learners in need DoT held the function of providing the service given the resources and data received from the DoE

Expenditure Trend The analysis will review the financial periods 2013/14 to 2017/18 and the following are primary sources of analysis: KZN Estimates of Provincial Expenditure and Revenue (EPRE) KZN DoE Annual Reports KZN DoT Annual Reports DBE Parliamentary Presentations

Total Learner Transport Budget 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Portion moved from Education 124 815 131 430 137 476 143 800 150 990 Final Shift from Education 37 000 38 500 42 200 44 310 Allocation 125 000 168 430 201 413* 186 000 195 300 Adjustment 158 430 201 413 Expenditure 142 993 Source: KZN EPRE 2013 – 2017 (Table 3.4)

Learner Transport: Annual Budget Increase Source: KZN EPRE 2013 – 2017 (Table 3.4)

Learner Transport Expenditure Source: KZN EPRE 2013 – 2017 (Table 3.4)

Learner and School Reach Source: KZN DoE EPREs 2013 - 2017

Need vs. Target vs. Provision 2015 2016 2017 Learners Enrolled (DoE AR) 1 965 951 1 990 795 2 000 070 Learners in Need (DBE Data) 71 000 90 000 Learners in Need as % of Enrolled 4% Learners Targeted (DBE Data) 34 814 47 747 Learners Targeted as % of Need 49% 67% 53% Learners Transported (DBE Data) 43 990 Learners Transported as % of Need Learners Transported Against Target 100% 92% Source: KZN EPRE, DoE and DBE Data

Data Analysis Many discrepancies exist within the KZN department’s own data Departments use the previous year’s output (provision numbers and targets met) as the basis of the next year’s predictions Has resulted in very stagnant growth in the number of schools and learners reached Using DBE data, the departments have for the last three years set to only provide 4% of the potentially qualifying learners with transport Of the identified learners in need: 2015: 49% transported; 2016: 67% transported; 2017: 49% transported This being against their own targets, they record a 100% achievement rate

EE’s Adcocacy April 2016: Presented recommendation on the Division of Revenue Bill to Standing Committee on Appropriations March 2016 and 2017: Submissions to the Standing Committee on Appropriations on the Division of Revenue Bill March 2017: Protest at KZN SOPA October 2017: Picket outside DBE in Pretoria Ongoing: MTBPS statements, Basic Education budget vote statements, Budget Speech statements, SONA statements, op-eds, media statements on all scholar transport-related issues

EE Learner Transport Court Case 07 November 2017, EE secured learner transport for 12 Nquthu schools KZN DoE and DoT have to provide transport to these schools by 01 April 2018 The undertaking, granted by the court, also states that the KZN DoE must report back to the court on 01 April on: The status of the KZN transport policy, How national and provincial co-operative governance structures will plan, provide, implement, monitor and evaluate scholar transport in KZN. The plans that the two Departments will make to address the issue of scholar transport in the province more broadly, and when these will be fulfilled. The alternative modes of transport that two Departments will consider

Government Response September 2014, DBE presentation to Select Committee on Appropriations: A conditional grant for subsidised learner transport “will continue to be explored” May 2016, Standing Committee report to parliament: National Treasury, DBE and others should “explore options that allow for the ring fencing of funding allocated to scholar transport to be used solely and exclusively for that purpose.” May 2017, Minister of Basic Education in media briefing: DBE is “open to looking at a case for the ring fencing of the learner transport budget in the form of a conditional grant to ensure that the budget is spent in the area it is intended for. May 2017, DG of DBE to Portfolio Committee: if all goes according to plan in the discussions with National Treasury, a conditional grant will be introduced in 2018/2019. October 2017, DBE to EE in a response to our memorandum: “ Following the recommendations from the Standing Committee to consider establishing a conditional grant for learner transport, the DBE together with the Department of Transport and National Treasury met to discuss the proposal and recommendations.”

WITHOUT A CONDITIONAL GRANT, WHEN WILL ALL LEARNERS IN NEED RECEIVE TRANSPORT? In KZN, using DBE estimates of need: The 2026/27 financial year In KZN, using Budlender’s estimates of need: The 2044/45 financial year

Change in Budget Allocation Table 1: Provincial budget allocations for learner transport, 2013/14 – 2017/18 (In thousands of rand) Source: Budlender, D. (2017) A proposal for a Learner Transport Conditional Grant. p. 10.

Change in Delivery Table 2: Change in need, delivery, and allocation per learner by province, 2015/16 – 2017/18 Source: Budlender, D. (2017) A proposal for a Learner Transport Conditional Grant. p. 11.

Proposed Solution Conditional grant for learner transport Ensures that scholar transport is prioritised Proportional to learners transport needs Allocations and expenditures easily visible

What Should The Grant Look Like? A look at Debbie Budlender’s September 2017 proposal commissioned by IBP Key parameters Simple formula Same cost per learner used nationwide Excluding learners with special needs

Potential Ways To Structure The Grant: OPTION 1: OPTION 2: Current allocations for learner transport in ES remain unchanged Conditional grant used for unmet need Initial increase of 10% followed by 5% each year, until need is met No addition to ES required -> cheaper Provinces would be required to report on allocations, expenditure and performance All learner transport funding included within conditional grant ES adjusted in line with ES formula Funds divided by need or by delivery history Initial increase of 10% followed by 5% each year, until need is met Impacts some provinces more -> extra once-off injection to ES required By 2020/21, both options will only have reached 14% of learners in need who are currently not serviced.

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