Education receives the largest slice of the budget pie

The 2011 budget has revealed high levels of spending on improving the quality of education in South Africa

The government has set aside 21% of the 2011 budget for improving the quality of education in South Africa.

This was revealed during Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan’s budget speech in parliament on Wednesday.

The total amount of spending equates to R190bn in 2012/13 to R215bn in 2013/14.

The key amounts to be spent include R9.5 billion for the expansion of further education and

training colleges and skills development, as well as R8,3bn on schools infrastructure.

A further R24.3bn will be added to education and skills expenditure for the next three years.

Gordhan noted that this amounts to the "most important programme of investment in future growth and redistribution."

-BusinessDay 24 February 2011