This brief analysis the budget allocations for the Eastern Cape Department of Education
(ECDoE) in relation to the progressive realisation of the rights to quality basic education within
Programme 2: Public Ordinary Schools Education for the 2018/19 financial year. This brief is situated
within the planning and resource allocation processes of the social accountability system (SAM), and
using a rights-based approach to evaluating resource allocation for Programme 2. This approach places
an obligation on the state to fulfill the rights of citizens to quality basic education, as enshrined in Section 29 of the Constitution. The state has an obligation to progressively realise the rights of citizens to quality basic education, and to access and use available resources optimally and equitably in doing so. In addition, the purpose of this brief is to analyse the change in budget allocations from the Adjusted
Appropriations of the 2017/18 financial year, nominal and real budget allocations for the 2018/19
financial year, as well as percent (%) changes in budget allocations for this financial year. In order
determine the allocations in real terms, this brief makes use of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is
meant to show the effect of inflation on the purchasing power within the specific Programmes. While
government focuses on the nominal allocations, this brief accounts for the effects of inflation. This takes
into account that building new schools, for example, will be more expensive this financial year than the
last financial year. As such, government must ensure that budget allocations take inflation into account
each year.
