Chairperson, members, guests, the different MECs that are here, the leadership of different political organisations, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be speaking on behalf of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training. Chair, I would like to thank you again for giving us an opportunity as the Education department to come here to give our budget speech today. The Minister of Higher Education and Training and I have agreed to share our Budget Votes because he is remaining in Cabinet to represent us.
Today, I speak to present to you, hon members, the collective thoughts and ideas on how we intend to reposition the education sector to meet our desired mandate of providing quality education for all. Over the weekend an intensive two-day review process of the education landscape was held jointly with MECs from provinces and the senior leadership of the department, as part of our broad strategic positioning of the department as we prepare to embark on a new road as the Ministry of Basic Education. We also had an opportunity to review, critique and analyse our responsibilities. I can report that we all jointly agree that our point of departure is that indeed our sector requires us to work differently to achieve different outcomes. We agree that we cannot continue working the same way and expect different outcomes.
I don't think there is doubt in anyone's mind that indeed our education system has achieved much. We can report - and proudly report - that much progress has been made in moving the system away from the precepts of apartheid education. Under this government, more children attend school and more attend without the burden of school fees. More children participate in school nutrition programmes and in an expanded curriculum. More teachers and principals are exposed to in-service development than ever before. And more provision has been made to improve the infrastructure of schooling, especially in rural and poor areas.
But we also are convinced that massive challenges still remain for those who are very committed. The theme of my speech today is: "Together - achieving quality education and access for all". In presenting this budget I therefore draw on the manifesto of the ruling party, as informed by its resolutions from its Polokwane conference, the Medium-Term Strategic Framework and the President's state of the nation address.
In the past 15 years of democratic rule there have been significant challenges and these are even testified to by independent analysts. A recent report by the South African Child Gauge has noted that we have achieved universal primary education in line with the medium-term development goal. We have also achieved gender parity in education. More children, as I have said, are staying in school until matric. It is estimated that about 85% of children now receive 12 years of education. We are, therefore, taking steps informed by this very basic and sound foundation.
But, again, if we are to make true the instructions of the President that teachers are to be in class and on time, and learners are to be in class studying, a number of things have to be put right. The approach that we are taking this year is informed also by the belief that together we can do more and that we need to make education a societal matter.
One of the professors who was commissioned by my predecessor to look at the challenges of education found that throughout the country, in every province in which the committee had been, from government officials to unionists and teachers, there were the strongest expressions of concern, often in very passionate terms, about an indisputable challenge in education and that it needed to be resolved. But this does not mean that there are no pockets of excellence in the system. The problem is that you cannot improve a whole system on the basis of exceptions. Exceptions or normality or functionality should be a major part of your education system and not an exception. Some of the challenges that confront us relate to issues like accountability.
We also noted with concern over the weekend that one of the weakest factors affecting our system is that accountability in the system is very limited in scope and very uneven. The accountability system is weak because of a pervasive culture of resistance to strong measures of accountability within schools, and not only amongst teachers, but throughout the entire system.
So, we are convinced that if we have to change our education system, there must be consequences for every action in the system. Everybody has to account for the work that they do - teachers have to be on time, learners have to be studying. Everyone has to make sure that when the teacher is in class on time, everything is in place for that teacher to work effectively.
We are also committing ourselves to addressing issues like the curriculum. We are getting lots of reports that there are challenges with regard to our curriculum. I have set up a committee which, starting from July until September, will be looking at all the issues which have been raised about our curriculum, making sure that, come 2010, we have addressed all the issues that have been raised by communities.
There are issues regarding resources which we hope that our budget will address. Historically, there are well-resourced schools and provinces that are better able to support the education system and produce better educational outcomes. This is a major challenge. Despite the fact that we say this government has invested acceptable levels of resources in education, their proper utilisation sometimes continues to be a challenge and we need to find a way of ensuring that there is value for money in terms of all the resources invested by government.
I have referred to the curriculum and have also committed our government to looking at all the different challenges which have been raised with us around the curriculum. We have also identified issues of systematic challenges in our system where, in addition to accountability, there is a general culture of dysfunctionality which also plagues our schools: books not arriving on time, desks not being available, and overcrowding in classrooms. And, again, we are committed to confronting that with our colleagues.
I quickly want to run through the figures before my time runs out because yesterday I had a very bad experience as I ran out of time and couldn't finish. So, I want to deal with the figures now to make sure that I don't run out of time and can focus on the figures that we have indeed been given.
As regards the budget allocations for the financial year 2009-10, I can record with appreciation that the overall budget has increased by R2,4 billion, rising from R18,5 billion last year to R21,2 billion. Additional funds have been received this year for the following priorities. For higher education - as I said, I am speaking for both basic education and higher education - we have been given about R480 million.
For school nutrition we have received R577 million and, again, we are excited about this, because it will enable us to extend our school nutrition programme to the poorest of the poor at high school level. In the past we could provide food to primary schools only, but now with this increase in budget we are able to start introducing a school nutrition programme at high school level.
As the department is working on separating further education and training, FET, colleges from basic schools, we have been given R5 million to start a process of capitalising our technical schools to compensate for the loss of the FET colleges or the training that would have been done through the FET colleges. So, we have been given R5 million.
Again, the department has also been given an additional R6 million this year to prepare for the establishment of the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit, Needu. We are very excited about this because, again, the unit will enable us to detect or to monitor and evaluate our system on an ongoing basis. Earlier in my speech I said that we were also aware that there were systemic collapses or problems in the system, and through Needu we are confident that, at an early stage, we will be alerted to challenges and confront them. So, we have been given R6 million this year, which will increase in the outer years, to enable us to start with the work.
The department has been allocated an additional R63 million for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS. I know the Minister of Higher Education and Training is very excited about this. He is very passionate that poor children not be excluded from higher education because they cannot afford it. So, again, we have been given this money to increase this budget.
We have been given R443 million for the mass literacy campaign. This will assist us in what we have always committed ourselves to as the education sector: that when we come into government we want to break the back of illiteracy, which we have inherited from the past. This money is going to enable us to address our mass literacy programmes.
We have been given R5 million for systemic evaluation programmes and for the further development of information management systems. Again, Chair, you would agree with me that it is very important in education to have a very sound information system which will help us not only to track our learners, but also to have the necessary information at hand.
Some of the existing programmes in the budget deserve special mention. One of these is, as I said, the National School Nutrition Programme, which in addition to feeding 7,4 million children, will be able to feed more children in high school. Our budget for the National School Nutrition Programme has increased to R2,3 billion through which we give conditional grants to provinces. We monitor these quite tightly and work very closely with provinces to make sure that every child who deserves to eat at school is able to eat on a daily basis.
We have been given R177 million, which will be used by provinces to provide relevant life-skills programmes in all schools. We are of the view that the decline in infections amongst young people, reported by the Department of Health, has been made possible by this life-skills programme. We are very excited about receiving this money and are committed to working with our children on questions of lifestyles, sexuality, and HIV and Aids. We are, though, quite concerned about the increasing numbers of teenage pregnancies in our schools, and we hope that through this fund we will begin to develop a programme to address this.
There is also the threat that as a country we are losing a number of teachers. So, we are quite excited that, again this year, we have been given R700 million to support 9 000 young people who are training to be teachers. This bursary has helped a lot in making sure that we can stabilise our demand for recruits in education.
I am pleased to record that, together with the teacher unions and other stakeholders, we have launched what we call the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign, of which a major part relates to the non-negotiables for different components of the system. For teachers, this involves being in class, on time and teaching, while learners have committed to focusing on learning, to respecting their teachers, and to doing their work.
Departmental officials have been made to make commitments, and they have promised to visit schools regularly and to provide them with support. We have also received pledges from parents who have volunteered to ensure that they play their part and make sure that there is oversight and monitoring of everybody in doing their work.
We believe that these non-negotiables require two pillars of support. The first of these is Needu, which we have spoken about, that will help us to evaluate and develop the system on an ongoing basis. This also relates to effective leadership in our schools. I don't want to go into examples of different forms ...
Your time thing is intimidating me. It was better in the House because there was no clock facing you. [Laughter.] So, let me go back, Chair, because this watch is really intimidating me.
These non-negotiables require two pillars of support. The first of these is Needu, which will evaluate all parts of the system to unearth constraints and problems in ensuring quality education. The other pillar is that of effective school leadership, a key component of the system.
All the evidence, locally and internationally, shows that a good school has a good principal. You will have heard that the President has committed himself to meeting school principals. The message is a crucial one in the transformation and development of education, and the department will do all it can to support this meeting. The meeting has been scheduled for 7 August 2009 in KwaZulu-Natal.
One key area of focus will be the rural schools and poor schools in our country. We will be working not just on infrastructure but on all different support mechanisms we think necessary. Infrastructure in rural and poor areas remains a challenge, and we will be looking at innovative funding approaches to ensure that we deliver decent schools in the shortest possible time.
We have seen how the country, with the 2010 preparations, has been able to deliver stadiums. We are going to persuade the government to do the same thing with school infrastructure: to use the same approach, look for fresh money - wherever they got the money from for the stadiums - and put it into education if we are all to say that indeed education is a priority.
All these examples of priorities and the rest are elaborated on in the strategic plan. We urge members to note the work we will be doing in regard to the recapitalisation of our technical schools and different work ...
I can see that my time is up. So, let me stop myself, Chair. Thanks.
Do you want to finish up?
I do.
You have 10 minutes at the end. I am going to take a few minutes from that to allow you to finish. You can finish up now. We will subtract time from the 10 minutes at the end.
Oh, but you've already said it would be subtracted, so maybe replace it.
Infrastructure remains a challenge and we are looking at innovative ways of making sure that we can develop it, and these are examples of the work that we are doing.
In closing, let me say these are just a few areas of our priorities and the rest of the areas are elaborated on in our strategic plan. I urge members to note the work we are doing in regard to the recapitalisation of technical schools following a successful - similar - process with regard to FET colleges.
I must conclude by assuring the House that I will be keeping an eye on the provision of education for learners with special needs. I am concerned that we still have too many children out of school, especially from poor families, owing to some or other disability or special need. We are compelled to respond to this. I recall that my theme for the day emphasises access for all, and until the last child has been brought into school, we shall not rest.
I want to take this opportunity to thank my head of department - I guess he's here - my members of staff, my colleagues and in particular Deputy Minister Surty, and I also want to indicate that we are losing one of the most valuable members of staff in the department, Mr Philip Benade, who is retiring. He was the chief financial officer. He has, I am told, for years enabled the department to get very clean audits. I want the House to join us in wishing him a very restful period. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Agb Voorsitter, dit is my nooienstoespraak en ek sal so ver as moontlik onkontroversieel bly. [Hon Chairperson, this is my maiden speech and as far as possible I will remain uncontroversial.]
Hon Chairperson, Minister Motshekga and members of the NCOP, education is the backbone of the strength, wealth, growth and sustainability of a country. If this sector, in a country, is well structured, with the promise of a quality outcome for learners and students in all of our learning institutions, certainly we can have a competitive response and outcome with regard to skills and employment opportunities in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.
The Basic Education department has framed five principles in the 2009 budget, and they are as follows: protecting the poor; sustaining employment growth and expanding training opportunities; building capacity for long- term growth through investment in infrastructure; promoting competitiveness; and maintaining a sustainable debt level. The DA can agree with these principles.
However, we must bear in mind that value for money in the context of the economic meltdown is the most important factor. The answer to this is efficiency in all our deliverables in education, which play an important role in our success and achieving our goals. Education must be our single largest investment in government. But we must make sure, from the start, that an effective delivery outcome is reached.
The following things are planned: 3 500 practitioners in early childhood development with a level 4 education; the increase of no-fee schools to 60% of the total number of schools; the expansion of the nutrition feeding scheme to secondary schools; and the increase of Grade Rs in public schools. This is all well and good, but the question remains ...
... sal die kwantiteit van dienslewering die gewenste uitkoms lewer, of moet ons nie liewer seker maak dat die hulpbronne en fasiliteite tot ons beskikking eerder tot maksimale effektiwiteit ontwikkel word nie? Ons het reeds die afgelope vier jaar n teleurstellende verslag ontvang dat die prestasie vir lees- en syfervaardighede van leerders in graad 1 tot 3 ouder die 40%-standaard is. Daar is definitief 'n probleem met ons onderwysstelsel wat ook ons opleidingskolleges en universiteite nadelig benvloed. Die effektiwiteit van onderwys en opleiding bring dus die volgende vrae na vore: Eerstens, hoe verseker ons dat die ruggraat van ons land versterk word? Tweedens, waar staan die voorskoolse kind se ontwikkeling binne die basiese onderwys en opleiding? Derdens, wat is die kwaliteit van die grondslagfase ten opsigte van die primre, sekondre en tersire ontwikkeling van die stelsel? Vierdens, watter rol speel die geengeldskolestelsel in gehalte onderwys? Vyfdens, om watter redes lewer di? voormalige model C-skole beter resultate as die publieke skole?
Sesdens, watter rol speel die morele waardes en standaarde van gemeenskappe ten opsigte van die gehalte van leerders en hul dissipline in skole, ensovoorts?
Die antwoord hierop is dat die gemeenskap, ouers, kinders en die skool, n holistiese benadering moet volg om beter gehalte te kan lewer. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[... will the quantity of service delivery have the desired outcome or should we not rather ensure that the resources and facilities at our disposal are developed to maximal effectiveness? For the past four years we have already received a disappointing report that Grades 1 to 3 perform under the 40% standard in reading and numeracy tests. There is definitely a problem with our education system which also has a detrimental effect on our training colleges and universities. The effectiveness of education and training, therefore, begs the following questions: Firstly, how do we ensure that the backbone of our country will be strengthened? Secondly, where does this leave the development of the pre- school child in relation to basic education and training? Thirdly, what quality does the foundation phase contribute to the primary, secondary and tertiary development of the system? Fourthly, what role does the no-fee school system play in quality education? Fifthly, what are the reasons for former model C schools producing better results than public schools?
Sixthly, what role does the moral values and standards of communities play with regard to the calibre of learners and their discipline at school, and so forth?
The answer to these questions is that the community, parents, children and the school should follow a holistic approach in order to improve the quality.]
The report says the Dinaledi schools comprise 7% of the total number of schools and contributed 24% to the 62 000 high-level mathematics matric results in 2008. If this is true, we certainly have a successful method of training for mathematics in all our learning institutions. We have to use it more to improve mathematics results. The problem in education lies in the fact that learners don't need to know tables - that is minus, plus, division and multiplication - off by heart any more. We have diverted from basic education and placed too much emphasis on the wrong things in education. Numeracy and literacy are very important in early childhood development and foundation-phase education. It is not the quantity of teachers and learners we have in our schools, but how well the foundation phase is managed.
The dropout rate is still unacceptably high. We must find out what the reason is for learners dropping out. Only the dropout learners and their parents can give responsible answers to this situation. Then we can try to solve the dropout rate in our schools. We must address this problem as soon as possible and with urgency. If every learner manages the basic principles of learning and training, fewer learners will drop out, there will be better results in the foundation phase and primary and secondary schools and colleges and universities will get better quality students. We will get quality workers in all sectors of the economy, and then we will obtain all the principles set for the nation. I thank you, Chairperson.
[Applause.]
Modulasetulo, Letona la lefapha, Maloko a Palamente a a leng fa ... [Chairperson, Minister of the department, Members of Parliament present ...] on 29 March 1996 Nelson Mandela said, and I quote:
On its establishment, South Africa's first democratic government faced daunting challenges in the education sector. The lack of proper educational facilities and resources, along with apartheid's devastating effect on our social fabric had created a crisis in education and training of immense proportions. The problem required a new multifaceted approach to co-ordinate the efforts of different sectors of society, within an overall framework for fundamental change.
The inequality of education funding during the apartheid era was shocking. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's 2009 report indicates that certain whites-only schools received 20 times more per learner than the poorest black schools for personnel and nonpersonnel as well as for capital needs.
It is against this background that the ANC firmly supports the budget in the knowledge that it seeks to redress the glaring imbalances of the past and ensure a fundamental change, from early childhood development, EDC, to higher education and training.
In this regard, the expansion of the early childhood development programme should be geared towards ensuring universal access to Grade R and doubling the number of 0 to 4-year-old children by 2014, as identified in the 2009 state of the nation address.
It is commendable that the department has allocated financial resources in the 2009-10 financial year to increase the number of five-year-old learners enrolled in publicly funded Grade R classes in public primary schools and community-based early childhood development sites, from the current 839 to 1 023 by January 2010.
In addition, the findings of a study of the Grade R sector, which was conducted in 2008, should be used to give guidance on how to strengthen national, provincial and district capacity to achieve the 2010 target of universal Grade R enrolment.
However, for the success of early childhood development provisioning, it is absolutely significant for the department to pay particular attention to improving the quality of programmes offered at this level and to employ properly qualified practitioners with the appropriate skills.
All early childhood development funding must also reach the centres on time. A well-resourced and functional ECD sector is essential in improving the quality of the education system and it contributes to ensuring readiness for formal schooling.
In May 2002, a special session of the United Nations General Assembly on children committed itself to a time-bound set of specific goals for children and young people known as the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, in terms of which member states pledged to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than a dollar a day.
In meeting the MDGs, South Africa has introduced many strategies, one of which is the National School Nutrition Programme. In this regard, the key objectives of the National School Nutrition Programme should be fully realised. These objectives include creating access to nutritious meals for learners from the poorest communities, counteracting short-term hunger and nutrient deprivation, and ensuring enhanced learning capacity. Subsequently, a total of 6 280 489 learners in 18 279 schools were fed an adequate meal in 2008, and a total of 6 503 school food gardens were planted and sustained.
However, the reorientation of the schools nutrition programme from its historical grade level focus towards an explicit affirmation as an antipoverty measure is the greatest challenge. To achieve this will require sound policy implementation regarding the identification of the main beneficiaries.
This represents the intersection of schools funding norms and the school nutrition programme, and suggests that the future of both programmes is intertwined. Furthermore, communities need to be given a greater stake in the delivery of healthy food through sustainable school food gardens. This does not only enhance the budgetary value achieved by the delivery of the schools nutrition programme, but builds nutrition-conscious communities whose outcomes stretch far beyond the programme confines of the schools nutrition programme.
The immediate expansion of no-fee schools to 60% in the current year, as per the ANC Polokwane resolution, is significant in freeing parents from the responsibility of paying school fees, thereby contributing to poverty alleviation.
South Africa's adult population reflects the disparities of the education policies prior to democracy. This makes the role of adult basic education and training very important as a means to enable full participation in the new democracy and to deliver the improvements sought in the economic transformation of South Africa.
A history of low investment in adult basic education and training and heavy reliance on nongovernmental organisations has left a legacy of low confidence in the system to provide sustained high-quality programmes. Furthermore, strong links between training and employment, particularly through flexible qualifications pathways, provide a structure for adult learners to see progression ahead.
In this regard, South Africa's qualifications framework permits the recognition of training experienced in a wide variety of settings for conventional qualifications. I will just skip the other matters.
It is criminal for institutions of higher education to return monies designated to assist students when there is a growing outcry for assistance, because many young people from poor families face financial constraints in furthering their studies.
We are happy to announce that government assistance through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme is expected to rise at an average annual rate of 16,6% over the medium term. The increase is in line with our objective of promoting student access to higher education. An important provision in the Act was the establishment of democratically elected governing bodies.
However, it is regrettable to note that some of the school governing bodies, SGBs, are not working properly because they do not have the necessary skills and are not sure about their roles and responsibilities. This happens mostly in poorer communities where people have few resources and where many cannot read and write. I thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, no budget can be appropriate unless it is contextually valid. A contextually valid budget tries as far as possible to respond to the general needs of society. It is absolutely astonishing to find two glaring, inexplicable and unforgivable omissions in the policy formulation for education.
Firstly, there is no policy to deal with the enormous vocabulary deficit within the larger school-going population. Learners who have reached Grade 12 with less than 20 000 to 30 000 words will read with frustration, fail to comprehend adequately and struggle to understand idiomatic and figurative language.
The second omission is the lack of availability of the Worldwide Web; it not being provided in every classroom. Who in the world can do without the Worldwide Web? This question should also be answered. It is obvious why Cope has contended through testing times that a society has not succeeded if the state only prepares children for academic success, but does not develop their values and readiness for responsible citizenship.
The House will definitely agree with Cope that education is absolutely central to poverty reduction and that it plays a key role in delivering sustainable change, opportunity and hope for all children. It is worth noting that children from poor households, rural areas, slums and other disadvantaged groups face major obstacles in accessing good quality education. Cope will strongly support any attempt at investing both human and financial resources in early childhood education and education in general, meaning basic and higher education.
The House will further agree and note that the notion of using matric results as a yardstick for good performance is worrisome. According to the SA Institute of Race Relations, only 10% of learners in the South African school system achieve results good enough for them to enter university.
If we are really serious about quality education, we must revisit our assessment criteria used to allow learners to progress from one grade to the next. Currently, in order to pass matric exams a learner only needs to have achieved 40% or above in three subjects, and 30% or higher in another three. However, in order to gain university entrance a learner needs to have achieved 50% or above in at least four subjects, and not less than 50% in two other subjects. These low assessment criteria play a significant role in dropout and unemployment rates, because most of the matric learners are half-baked.
As a result, Cope believes that our country will not become a successful industrialised economy if the Education department continues to produce inadequate results. In rolling out the non-negotiable mandate as captured in the state of the nation address, we should encourage members of the House to adopt schools, with a view to ensuring compliance, and to further mobilise communities to do the same.
Cope rallies behind the attempts at prioritising the establishment of a youth cadet service, learnerships and internships to get all school-leavers to support our communities and learn the necessary skills to find decent work.
Despite important progress, the majority of teachers are frustrated by the current trend in the curriculum to fast-track learners to exit Grade 12. It is further noted that this situation is causing a problem in various high schools. Is this a cost-containment measure or a deliberate attempt to throw poor children out of school? At this point we need to stop the abuse and answer this question. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, hon Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon members, Cabinet Ministers present, honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, as we begin the month of July, which is a very important month in the history of our country, we must remember the important and famous statement by the first democratically elected President of the Republic and the president of the ANC, former President Nelson Mandela, when he said:
Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another. These important words are still relevant in recognising education as the most fundamental tool for personal development. It is against this background, as we debate the Budget Vote on Education, that we should commend our government for having prioritised education for the next five years. We commend President Zuma for undertaking in his state of the nation address to increase government's efforts at encouraging all pupils to complete their secondary education by targeting an increased enrolment rate of 95% in secondary schools by 2014.
The use of computer laboratories as a tool to improve learning and teaching is still a challenge in many schools. This problem can only be corrected if the department creates a wonderful, first-class academic environment.
As members of the Select Committee on Education and Recreation, we will play a greater oversight role over both the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Higher Education and Training. This will assist us in responding to the call by the President that the Fourth Parliament be a house of activists.
In fulfilling our oversight role we will expect the department to fast- track the process of ensuring that schools throughout the country, particularly in rural areas, are equipped with modern library facilities which can increase literacy levels and transform communities and the entire social structure. In responding to the challenges facing our schools, the new and the old schools should be designed to have the following features: computers, a science laboratory, a biology laboratory, home economics facilities, fully equipped administrations facilities, school gardens, book libraries, and state-of-the-art modern classrooms.
We have full confidence that the leadership of the department will ensure that they deliver on their mandate of spearheading the progressive transformation of education in which all people have lifelong learning opportunities which, in turn, contribute towards improving quality of life and building a peaceful, prosperous and democratic South Africa.
We support the reconfigured Education department, which came about as a result of intense public engagement, as this will help to improve the performance of our education system in its response to government's objective of turning our schools and institutions of higher learning into thriving centres of excellence.
We have no doubt that this will contribute immensely to the struggle of combating the scourge of poverty by creating job opportunities for both school-leavers and graduates by ensuring that training and skills- development initiatives in the country respond to the requirements of the economy.
We have noted in past years from different sections of society that the issue of safety and security is one of the overriding concerns. In intensifying the campaign of advocating safer schools, we will expect the Department of Basic Education to work with provinces on an ongoing basis through the Council of Education Ministers in order to fast-track the implementation of appropriate policies that seek to work collaboratively with school governing bodies, parents and communities with the purpose of focusing on the promotion of safe learning environments for our children, in which human life has equal worth and in which every child has an opportunity to learn and succeed.
Statistics inform us that since 1994, 140 000 students have benefited from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, or NSFAS, which is aimed at improving the participation rate amongst disadvantaged South Africans. But this scheme needs to be reviewed.
In an effort to develop rural education we would welcome efforts from the department to enhance the quality of education in rural areas by focusing on quality teaching, the restructuring of rural schools, curriculum delivery, education provision, school governance and management, community participation and poverty alleviation.
As the committee, we are happy to learn that President Zuma will meet with school principals in KwaZulu-Natal on 7 August 2009 in line with the commitment he made during the state of the nation address to meet with school principals in an effort to deepen transformation and development in education.
Access to higher education remains the greatest challenge for financially needy students who are academically deserving, but who are precluded from postschool educational opportunities on the basis of being poor. We are not going to accept any excuses from people who want to use a lack of funding as a scapegoat in respect of access to higher education. We know that our government is capable of providing quality education. In the long run, we will propose reviewing the NSFAS in order to facilitate the progressive introduction of free education for the poor at undergraduate level.
In conclusion, in our quest to defend the gains of the national democratic revolution, the committee supports the Budget Vote of the department. I thank you. [Applause.]
Order! To the people controlling the monitors up there: This is Ms Magadla and not Mr Magadla. I am looking at the monitors here. Let's do things correctly, please.
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Deputy Chairperson, members of the House, hon Minister, colleagues, MECs from provinces and everybody in attendance, thank you very much for the opportunity given to us as a province and the department to come here to make an input on this policy debate of the Department of Education, and on the achievements and challenges facing us, equally mindful of the fact that the details of the work done in the province are well contained in our annual performance plan - our budget speech - which will be made available if so required.
One of the third largest electoral processes in the country, the elections of the school governing bodies, has been launched and successfully conducted by the province. Obviously, at the end of the process, we will be starting very important and intensive work around induction of members on their roles, responsibilities and obligations, as per the SA Schools Act, to make sure that they are able to deal with matters relating to legislation, policy, leadership and management.
Importantly as well, with regard to some of the achievements in the province and as far as our input to this policy debate is concerned, is that our infrastructure budget in the previous financial year was R675 million, which was fully utilised, and over 1 880 projects in the department were completed as well as four state-of-the-art schools.
By the end of this financial year we will be completing 14 more school projects. Therefore, we want to take this opportunity to invite you and members of this House to the Limpopo province, because, starting from this month until March next year, we will be opening these big schools - state- of-the-art schools - almost every month until the end of the financial year.
Seventeen schools have been electrified; 90 water projects have been completed in 90 schools; 982 toilets have been completed; 688 new classrooms have been provided; and 23 laboratories and 169 administration blocks have been completed. We have very good stability in the province with regard to the provision of teacher and learner support materials because almost every year on the first day of the reopening of our schools, children are in possession and have been in possession of their learner material.
So far as well, our Dinaledi high schools in the province have performed very well because 7 283 maths students passed last year against the national target which was set at 4 000, resulting in the province coming second nationally with respect to the performance of our Dinaledi schools. So far this year we are also very confident as a department that we are going to meet the targets as set and probably exceed them, because we have a committed team of men and women, officials and teachers.
A total of 38 181 officials have benefited from bursaries and internships locally and abroad with regard to their attendance of schooling and training, and also in terms of furthering their educational development.
We have a number of officials attached to a lot of institutions of higher learning in the province and some that are abroad, receiving very important and intensive training in order for them to strengthen, plan and teach and, of course, ensure that the department in the province is strategically located to advance its primary mandate of providing and delivering a curriculum.
One thousand schools have been provided with e-mail connectivity in the province so that we are able to ensure that we bridge the digital divide between and amongst our people and are able to access information both nationally and globally.
We have provided 995 867 primary school learners with nutritious food. Currently, we have rolled out the programme to 518 quintile 1 secondary schools, which will benefit 218 351 learners. All in all that means that 1 248 444 learners in the province will be benefiting from the National Schools Nutrition Programme.
So far, 2 818 members of representative councils of learners have received training in leadership skills, conflict management, democracy education and the code of conduct of good learners in the province. Equally important in terms of some of the achievements, 71% of our schools in the province are no-fee schools, which means that we have already exceeded the 60% national target. We are quite clear - and certainly committed - that in the next financial year, in this regard, 94% of the province's schools will be no- fee schools.
As far as the continual development of professional teachers in terms of their skills and knowledge is concerned, we have established three centres that specialise in maths, science and technology, commercial subjects and languages. All these centres are aimed at making sure that our teachers continually receive proper training for them to be well placed in advancing their primary mandate and responsibility of making sure that our learners receive quality teaching in our classrooms.
We have also appointed curriculum advisers and deputy managers responsible for governance to continue giving our schools support with respect to governance and professional development in order for teachers to receive good and professional advice in their respective subjects, and, therefore, place the province very strategically to advance this national project of advancing education and teaching as one of the key mandates that this ANC government's administration is seized with.
However, as we make an input in this important policy debate, there are, equally, challenges that the province is facing and that therefore need our attention, both nationally and provincially. The infrastructure budget of the province has grown to R852 million and the estimated backlog so far to cater to and address 4 015 schools is estimated at millions and billions of rand. At the same time, these 4 015 schools are covered and managed through a budget of R16 billion, which, we think, is not quite sufficient because there are infrastructure collapses and challenges that have to be met in order to intensify and locate the provision of education - there has to be the necessary space for teaching and learning. These are serious challenges facing us.
Just to give an example: The province has five districts in which there are 415 schools that have to be managed. But, in terms of the norms and standards set, we are supposed to have 15 districts of the Department of Education in the province. Therefore, this shows that the department is seriously undermanaged and hence the challenges that I have spoken about. We need to be able to find a way of attending to them. In this regard, the vacancy rate in the department needs to be attended to administratively to give the required support to our schools. So far, it stands at 65%, which is a serious problem and a challenge.
We also still have teachers in the province who do not have the necessary qualifications with regard to the norms as they have been set. This area continues to receive the attention of the department. Educators are equally important as well. There are those who cannot actually be placed in terms of the curriculum requirements. They are in excess in the system. This situation says that the province would have to have a basket of posts that amounts to 57 085. Unfortunately, at the moment, we have only 56 427 posts.
Almost R1,1 billion is required, additional to the current budget, for us to be in a better position to attend to some of these problems that may affect the capacity of the department not just to provide and deliver on its core mandate of curriculum development and implementation, as I have said, but also to practise and locate, within the necessary space supported by the tools of the trade, the required infrastructure that will enhance teaching and learning without any challenge.
Equally important is that in terms of the database of the department's national electronic infrastructure management system, there are significant challenges experienced in the department of education in Limpopo with regard to facilities in terms of space, condition of buildings, building standards and maintenance.
We hope that this budget will also take us a long way in redressing and addressing some of the problems. There is still overcrowding at schools. We still have schools with dilapidated and inappropriate school buildings. There is inadequate maintenance of some facilities. There is an unacceptable level of public health care at schools owing to insufficient sanitation facilities. There are overcrowded and dilapidated offices and warehouses at the provincial, district and circuit levels. There is also inadequate funding of education infrastructure, as I have already said, in order to address the backlog in space, conditions, standards and maintenance of our buildings.
We also continue to see a problem that we need to work on very seriously. We have already started having our people all over the province attend to some of these matters. Some of these issues also relate to the capacity- building required in the continual development of our officials and teachers to meet the ever-demanding needs of the National Curriculum Statement, which, of course, needs to be well positioned and well informed through proper training and learning in order for our teachers and children to be able to receive this important information.
There is still a continual shortage of maths, science and technology educators, including curriculum advisers. So far, we are clear that working together, we will be able to provide quality education to our people in the province. Therefore, we support this budget. [Applause.]
Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, hon Minister, MECs, hon members of the NCOP and guests, I feel honoured today to be part of the House to lead in the discussion of the most important element in our country, which is higher education.
In the past, regrettably, we never had a choice in the education system that we wanted in our country. But now, through the ANC-led government, we do. As the Freedom Charter states, "The doors of learning and culture shall be opened!"
Why is poverty so widespread and the unemployment rate so high? To answer this question could take me the whole day, but allow me to give the factors that lead to that. The curriculum we had or that was designed for us did not focus on the needs of the country. In other words, most learners completed their Grade 12, but that did not help them because they were not skilled enough to face the outside world.
The ANC, correctly, has a clear position in this regard, and it is that education and training should be basic human rights, that all individuals should have access to lifelong education and training, regardless of race, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, or physical and mental disability.
In other words, every child has the right to be educated. This is embodied in our manifesto in terms of which children have free and compulsory education from Grade 1 to Grade 12. The government provides schools with reading and writing materials, stationery and feeding schemes for free. It even intends to extend the feeding schemes to secondary schools.
The ANC government is also going to provide accommodation for farm learners who travel long distances to schools. Our township schools are being improved with facilities that cater for quality education. Libraries are being built in rural townships to ensure that learners have access to reading materials, computers, and the Internet, in order to improve technology in disadvantaged towns. For example, in Edenville a highly resourced library is in the process of being built. By the way, Edenville is the area I come from in the Free State.
The government of the ANC has also introduced inclusive education in which learners with disabilities attend schools with other learners even though they need special attention. Educators trained in special needs are doing this, and in district offices there is a section called inclusive education. This section takes care of learners with family and personal problems and also assists child-headed households in getting grants in order to eliminate early pregnancy.
Adult basic education is also functional in terms of increasing the level of literacy in our brothers, sisters and parents who were denied the opportunity to learn by factors in the apartheid education system.
Regarding the issue of school governance, the ANC government established the school governing body as a structure with stated powers which takes the lead in the governance of schools. Amongst other things, they are responsible for appointing educators, finances and discipline on the part of learners.
The school governing bodies are trained to ensure that our parents have a role in the education of their children. This, in turn, eases the burden on educators and principals.
The new curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement, is designed to skill learners so that after Grade 12 they become ready to work. This also helps parents because it focuses on the social and educational aspects. One can take the subject of life orientation as a learning area which focuses on the life of a learner. A number of learning areas have been introduced so that there is a variety when it comes to subject choices. The country will benefit because a number of economists and scientists are going to be produced.
The government is also going to provide laptops to teachers in order to enhance their technological and IT skills from the early education stage.
For the first time, our country has two Ministers of Education, namely the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Minister of Basic Education. This shows that there is going to be transformation in our basic colleges, our universities of technology, or former technikons, and our universities. Government has also extended its funding to universities and technikons to ensure that deserving learners can pursue their studies, irrespective of their socioeconomic background. This scheme is called the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. It will increase the graduate output in areas where there are skills shortages.
All of this is contained in the ANC manifesto, and I am proud to say that the ANC is going to go the extra mile in ensuring that the quality of education improves because we all know that education is lifelong. We all know that education remains the most significant area for youth development and emancipation. What the department needs is our support and not irrelevant criticism.
Despite all the strengths I have mentioned, it would be fair enough to say that there are still challenges that must be addressed in ensuring the attainment of quality education. There is a shortage of science and technology teachers. As good as the National Curriculum Statement is as a curriculum, teachers must be well trained and skills must be well resourced.
There is a lack of discipline on the part of learners at schools. The ANC government must strengthen disciplinary measures in education policies - for instance, the SA Schools Act - without using corporal punishment. The graduate output in skills areas must be increased. This includes measures to streamline sector education and training authorities, Setas. Teachers' colleges must be reopened. Sanitation facilities must be improved, including the provision of clean water, strong buildings and infrastructure in rural schools.
There should be a rural allowance for teachers who come from far-off places as a motivation for going the extra mile, for example working on Saturdays and during holidays. Another challenge is the training of early childhood education teachers. In addition, the quality of scarce skills education must be improved. Maths, science, technology and English should be given special priority.
In conclusion, I want to recommit myself by saying that the ANC government will always ensure that quality education is provided, as is required of us by the President. Most important of all: Together we can do more. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Basic Education, provincial MECs, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I want to take this opportunity to welcome the presentation by the Minister and her forthright and candid assessment of our education system.
It is indeed true that significant strides have been made in taking our education system forward in terms of the overall quality of our curriculum, the number of learners benefiting through poverty-alleviation interventions in the form of no-fee schools, the National Schools Nutrition Programme, the mainstreaming of early childhood development centres and many other flagship programmes that make up the department.
In line with the Polokwane resolutions and the manifesto of the ruling party, we have declared quintile 3 schools no-fee schools, thus increasing the number of learners benefiting from this policy from 1,2 million to 1,657 million, which now constitutes 81,67% of the overall number of learners in the province. This is well above the 60% that is stipulated in the manifesto of the ruling party.
One hundred and eighty-three quintile 1 high schools covering 174 105 learners are benefiting from the school nutrition programme in the current financial year. The budget for early childhood development has increased from R270 million in the 2008-09 financial year to R367,31 million in the 2009-10 financial year. This will cover the pre-Grade R stipends for practitioners, the training of pre-Grade R and Grade R practitioners, and the resourcing of the foundation phase, including the 91 early childhood development facilities that we are constructing. We have also seen an increase in enrolment in Grade R from 132 599 in 2008 to 141 181 in 2009.
More than anything, though, I welcome your forceful articulation, hon Minister, of the maladies that continue to blight our schooling system. The time for shifting blame and refusing to acknowledge challenges and personal shortcomings is over.
Coming from the Eastern Cape, I would go further and acknowledge that the combative relations with worker unions have also had a significant role in the perennial underperformance of our learners and schools, in particular at the point of exit from the system, which is Grade 12.
In responding to these challenges, we are thus enjoined to find common platforms that will instead focus our energies towards the improvement and acceleration of transformation at all key levels of the system. A lot of ground has been covered in mending relations with our social partners through the resuscitation of the provincial education labour relations council, which creates the platform to address matters of common and mutual interest. And we have also engaged in relationship-building exercises with our unions to ensure that we work together in ensuring that we deliver quality education in the province.
The introduction of the new curriculum statement for Grade 12 last year has not been without challenges in our province. We have had to acknowledge that critical knowledge gaps were experienced by some of our teachers, and that maybe the training we provided was not adequate. We have thus endeavoured to intensify training in addition to providing planning, co- ordination, monitoring, evaluation and support for the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement from Grade R up to Grade 12. We shall continue with the training on the National Curriculum Statement we started towards the end of last year, during which time we covered about 2 400 educators in the general education and training band, and also about 4 000 at the beginning of 2009 in the further education and training band.
To reduce the administrative burden on educators and to ensure quality and uniformity, we have developed lesson plans for all learning areas and for all grades, and these are being distributed as we speak. The department is busy developing the lesson plans for the third and fourth quarters. We hope that by September 2009 the process will have been completed and that all lesson plans will have been distributed to our schools. We hope and trust that this will translate into increased confidence in the classroom by our educators and lead to better education outcomes, as well as to a reduction in the dropout and repetition rates and to an improved promotion rate.
I further wish to concur with the hon Minister that indeed the systematic and historical disparities continue to have a major role in the quality of our educational outputs. The majority of our people in the Eastern Cape reside in the rural areas, which continue to be a hotbed of rabid and unacceptable levels of inequality. With over 800 mud and unsafe schools due for eradication, we are in full agreement with the sentiments expressed in the Minister's speech on rural schools. This resonates with our own challenges of underdevelopment emanating from the failed homelands project.
We certainly agree that better co-ordination between departments will help to fast-track our interventions in this regard. Indeed, the political will that is displayed by the leadership of government towards the 2010 infrastructure should be adopted to deal with the infrastructure backlogs in the education sector. If we can adopt the attitude we have adopted towards the 2010 infrastructure, we will be able to cover a lot of ground in eradicating the infrastructure backlogs in the sector.
Our own commitment to rural development is demonstrated by our stated endeavour to undertake key infrastructure development in the rural areas, even to the extent of building expensive full-service model schools in the rural areas. Out of the 316 schools that are currently under construction as we speak - straddled over two financial years - the majority of those, that is 258 schools, will be finalised in this current financial year. The majority of them are in the rural areas, including the 12 model schools we have started that are allocated in both rural areas and townships.
In terms of the provision of resources, proper planning and co-ordination have ensured that for the first time in a while the Eastern Cape was able to significantly improve the delivery of learner and teacher-support material ahead of the resumption of schooling for the 2009 academic year. This has definitely helped in boosting the morale of our learners and educators, in that the call - and the insistence - that teaching and learning resume on the very first day of the school year has indeed been heeded by the majority of schools. This has enabled the department to implement its learner-attainment improvement strategy, which is meant to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning from the beginning of the year, thus ensuring that all targeted areas of improvement are given adequate time.
In conclusion, the Eastern Cape has heeded the call to arms in the form of the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign. Besides the provincial launch at Cofimvaba on 2 April 2009, all our 23 districts are falling over each other as they mainstream this campaign through their own unit launches.
The East London district launch in May 2009 brought together all the critical components in the campaign, including parents, teachers, civil organisations, representatives of school governing bodies, learners and office-based educators from the district office. The mood and the spirit suggested to me that there was a growing consensus that the turnaround of our education system was indeed everybody's business.
Our experience also shows that there is a correlation between poor performance and dysfunctionality in our schools on the one hand and poor leadership in schools on the other. In this regard, we are continuing with the training of the circuit managers on coaching and mentoring in order to assist and support principals and school management teams in improving the management and governance of our schools. Secondly, we are also going to train 2 490 principals in leadership and management of schools. With this intervention we are confident that our schools will become centres of excellence.
We are also committed to being the torch-bearers of the message that has been given and provided by the hon Minister of hard work and resilience, fully aware that education remains the fundamental tool in the transformation agenda of our government. With those few words, I support the Budget Vote. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon members, Minister, Deputy Minister and MECs from the provinces, as the IFP we welcome the fact that we now have two Ministers to deal with education. Hopefully, many of the problems we have been experiencing over the past years will be dealt with in a good manner in every sense, Madam.
Empeleni, mhlonishwa, Ngqongqoshe, kunezinto eziningi eziyaye zingikhathaze emphefumulweni wami nakuba seniye nayenzangcono imfundo yethu emazingeni onke kubalwa nama-Governing Body nje. [As a matter of fact, hon Minister, there are many things that trouble me although you have managed to improve our education system at every level, including the school governing bodies.] My problem, hon Minister and MECs ...
... lawa ma-Governing Body, uma kuqashwa othisha ezikoleni - kukhona omama nobaba bethu emakhaya, abangazange balubhade esikoleni kodwa kuthiwa abenze inhlololwazi kothisha. Ngibona ukuthi uMnyango ufanele ukulubhekisisa loludaba ngoba mina ngokwami ngibona kuwukudlala ngabantu bakithi ukuthi benze le nhlololwazi. Kusuka umuntu owenze iBanga Lokuqala noma ongazange afike naseBangeni Lokuqala nje kuthiwe akenze inhlololwazi kumuntu oneBanga le 12. Ngiyacela, Ngqongqoshe ukuthi nikubheke lokho. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[... is that these governing bodies, when they recruit teachers for schools, involve our fathers and mothers who never attended school, but are expected to interview teachers. I think that the department should reconsider this position, because I feel that it is ridiculous that our people are expected to conduct these interviews. You cannot expect a person who has only completed Grade 1 or who did not even reach that grade to conduct an interview with a person who has passed Grade 12. I am pleading with you, hon Minister, to look at this matter.]
Coming to the budget in these schools ...
... ngiyazi, mhlonishwa, Ngqongqoshe ukuthi ezikoleni zethu sekunezabiwomali. [... I am aware, hon Minister, that there are budget allocations for our schools these days.]
These principals are not accountable to the people...
... ngale mali yabakhokhi bentela. [... regarding the taxpayers' money.]
We should look at all these things, Minister...
... noNgqongqoshe bezifundazwe. Ake nizibhekisise lezi zinto. Laba bantu kufanele baphendule ngabakwenzile ngoba yizimali zomphakathi lezi ezisuke zisetshenziswa. Lapho uThishanhloko avele nje athumele isheke elingabhalwe lutho kuSihlalo ukuthi asayinde noma ashaye isithupha. Lokho ngikubona kuyinto engahambi kahle.
Okunye, wukuthi ngithanda ukunibongela boNgqongqoshe ngoba niyafika - mhlonishwa uNzimande, nawe Ngqongqoshe. Ngakho-ke ngiyethemba ukuthi nizobheka kahle izinkinga ezikhungethe izingane zakithi ezimnyama ezisemanyuvesi. Kufuneka nazi kahle ukuthi kukhona izingane lapho emakhaya kungenalutho ezifunda khona laphaya emanyuvesi okufanele kubukisiswe kuyo le mali le esuke ikhokhwe nguhulumeni ukuthi bayanikezwa yini abantu ngendlela ekuyiyona yona.
Sengiphetha Ngqongqoshe, okunye okungikhathaza kakhulu wukuthi, ngoba niyafika, ngeke ngilokhu nginibhaxeka ngodaka olwenziwe ngabanye abantu ningekho. Le Mithethomgomo ekhona kwezemfundo kufanele ibuyekezwe futhi kubhekwe ukusebenza kwayo. Okunye mhl onishwa, dadawethu, izilimi zesiNguni kanye nezinye izilimi zama-Afrika kufanele ziqhutshekiselwe phambili futhi zinikezwe amandla zikwazi ukusebenza kuyo yonke iMinyango kahulumeni ngoba asikhona eNgilandi lapha, kodwa sise-Afrika lapho kukhona khona abantu bakithi abamnyama okuyibona abayiningi okufanele banakekelwe ngokuthi kuqhutshekiselwe phambili zonke izilimi zabo. Ngiyabonga, Nxamalala. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[... and MECs. Look at these things, please. These people should be accountable for what they are doing, because it is the taxpayers' money that is used. Some principals just send a blank cheque to the chairperson to sign or to attach a thumb print. I feel that that is not right. The other thing is that I want to congratulate you Ministers, because you have just joined us - hon Nzimande and you, hon Minister. I therefore believe that you will look into the problems which are troubling our black students who are at the universities. You must know very well that there are children who come from destitute homes who are studying at those universities and therefore you must look out for them through the funds that are paid out by the government by making sure that the right people receive them.
In conclusion, hon Minister, the other thing which troubles me a lot is that because you have just joined us, I won't hold you responsible for mistakes that were committed by others whilst you were not even here. These policies that are in use here in education need to be reviewed and looked at closely with regard to how they function. Another thing, hon Minister, my sister, the Nguni languages and other African languages should be developed so that they can be utilised in all government departments, because we are not in England, but in Africa where our black people are in the majority and need to be taken care of by developing all their languages. Thank you, Nxamalala. [Applause.]]
Ms L HLONGWA (KwaZulu-Natal): Chairperson, thank you very much for giving us an opportunity to be part of this debate today, following the tabling of the budget by the Minister, the hon Angie Motshekga. We wish to start by congratulating the Minister on her appointment and on being entrusted by the ANC with this very crucial position to lead the Department of Basic Education. We also want to pledge our support to constructively critique where we see shortfalls and be appreciative where necessary.
We draw our strength and comfort from the knowledge that the hon Motshekga, as a disciplined member of the ANC, will deliver and ensure that she effects qualitative transformation in this department, which shall bring about a shift in the manner in which things have been done in the past. This year the province's focus is on quality of delivery of education, as was launched by the then MEC of education, Ms Cronj, in Ulundi in March 2009. We are pleased to note the new trends in the budget estimates, and that the education outcomes will be improved by enrolling an increased number of Grade R pupils, or, rather, five-year-olds in the public schools, that number to increase from 701 740 to 800 000 by 2010. We applaud this, Madam. The growth in the public ordinary schools allocation is received with humility by the province of KwaZulu-Natal, since most of our schools need renovation and learning and teaching support materials, LTSM. Chairperson, we think this is in line with, or in the spirit of, the Freedom Charter, which states that the doors of learning and teaching shall be opened to all.
The improvement of school management is one fundamental issue that, as the province, we have identified and we want to support. This year we are saying, as the province, that we want to grant all our schools section 21 status and, however, put a clear monitoring tool in place so that this is not abused. In our definition, quality of education is a tripartite relationship model that encapsulates the role of parents and teachers, as well as learners; hence, our resolve to strengthen the relationship among the three main parties.
Teachers remain critical and very important in our task of ensuring quality education for all. When our people were faced with the oppressive impact of Bantu education, it was the teachers who stood up and ensured that we confounded the architects of apartheid by producing doctors, lawyers and engineers. Now that we are free, Madam Minister, we need a similar resolute commitment. Our teachers must commit to a set of non-negotiables: to be at school on time, in class, teaching, with no abuse of learners and no neglect of duty. This was also said by the President in his state of the nation address. As the KwaZulu-Natal province, we are very clear that people must be placed in influential positions because they are fit for a particular task at hand, not because they belong to a particular union.
We are also pleased that the Minister is engaging with the teacher unions to address educational challenges, which range from resources and accountability to curriculum deficiency. We are very fortunate to have the MEC, in the person of Comrade Senzo Mchunu, who has also declared, in the public fora, that we shall be meeting, as legislators, with teacher unions to enhance our working relationship and also curb unnecessary industrial action.
The province takes the issue of effective teaching and learning very seriously in that our MEC, together with the senior officials of the department, have visited a few schools, just to get a feel for what is happening there. We also note, with humility, in the Estimates of Public Expenditure, EPE, that the department will focus on monitoring and evaluation of the management of schools. Without prioritising that, we shall forever be pumping money into something that doesn't yield the expected fruits. The Minister is correct, Chairperson, that all performing schools have good managers, and this is our conviction, as well, in KwaZulu- Natal.
Hence we are gearing ourselves to ensure that the state resources do not go to waste unnecessarily as the President has made a call that every cent spent should be accounted for. The further focus on the development of teacher competence, by ensuring that teacher qualifications and continuing professional development programmes are of an acceptable standard, receives undivided attention from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, since it is an imperative central to the maximisation of educational outputs. We are very humbled by the Minister's commitment to accountability and confrontation of all dysfunctional schools, as well as dysfunctional Department of Basic Education offices.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal undertakes to particularly focus on developing the capacity of our teachers, improving the capabilities of our existing educators while training a new generation of teachers, equipped with enthusiasm, values and skills that will be needed to build a new education system. The capacity of teachers teaching mathematics, science and technology remains a big challenge that we think needs strategic co- ordination from this level of government. Programme 4 of the budget estimates talks about this point in that the focus is on 500 Dinaledi schools in 2009. However, we feel that this is too few, if we are to deal with the challenge ahead.
We want to propose that for us to thoroughly deal with this challenge, we need to address the teaching methods and understand the context from which the teachers teach and also the context in which learners are taught. This will be of primary importance to change the disposition of learners towards mathematics and science. Again, it is not about developing content knowledge but is mainly about developing pedagogical knowledge that is appropriate to the school environment.
We are particularly grateful to the Minister for unequivocally emphasising the challenges faced by rural schools, especially with regard to our children who have to walk many kilometres before they arrive at school. Most of those children come from disadvantaged families where abject poverty is the order of the day. Thank you very much, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Hon Chair, hon Minister and hon MECs of different provinces, the ID will make a positive contribution to finding solutions to the challenges facing the youth in education. These challenges belong to all of us. We must begin a programme of education, and encourage our communities to play a more active role in our schools because our children are a blessing to us.
There are still far too many parents who neglect their duty to play an active role in the education of their children, simply leaving this responsibility to teachers alone. Sadly, this behaviour is more prevalent in our poor areas. Equally guilty are the many businesses in our communities who also turn a blind eye. We must remind them that unless they make an investment in education today, they will also suffer the consequences tomorrow.
Over the past 15 years we have spent more on education than most other developing nations, and the ID believes we still do not have enough to show for it. We must also invest in human development and build sports facilities at previously disadvantaged schools. The ID remains concerned about the massive inequalities in education, which, we believe, outcomes- based education has made worse because rich schools have the resources to implement it and poor schools do not.
Transformation in previously advantaged schools needs urgent attention. You cannot have a school in which 40% to 45% of the learners are black and coloured children, but there is only one black or coloured teacher. It is impossible to have this 15 years down the line, and it is happening in the Northern Cape.
We need to focus more on reading, writing and mathematics, and each school must be given access to electricity, water and sanitation, a library, a functioning science laboratory and free Internet connectivity. Let me just give you one very important piece of advice today. The Bible says that money is a shelter; wisdom is also a shelter, but the excellency of knowledge is that the preserver thereof has eternal life.
Every school must have a social worker that can identify and deal with problems such as sexual and substance abuse in children. We would like the department to consider replacing the no-fee schools with a child education grant, targeting poor learners rather than poor schools and covering school fees, transport and uniforms. This will mean that schools will no longer have to struggle to collect fees and that poor learners at wealthy schools will also be covered. We would like to say to you, hon Minister, Deputy Minister and Minister of Higher Education and Training, that we hope and trust that the budget that you have received will be sufficient to see to all these challenges - they are big challenges - because if we invest in our children, develop and train them, that is the best investment that we can make. I would like to say, as I would normally say, to each and every Minister in education or MEC in education: if you overspend by building schools and teaching the children, we will support you. Thank you.
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister Motshekga, hon MECs, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, on behalf of the Western Cape education department, I would like to congratulate the Minister on her appointment and wish her everything of the best. I know that she will be successful.
Education is the bedrock of my government's vision of an open-opportunity society for all. Education lies at the heart of this vision, because it provides our youth with the necessary skills to reach their full potential and fulfil their aspirations. However, our initial analysis indicates that the Western Cape's education system, while undoubtedly the best in the country, is not yet characterised by the kind of excellence that this government aspires to and that the future of this country demands of us to become a truly prosperous nation.
In order to provide quality education, we have to channel funds back to the classroom and the teacher. More resources simply need to get down to that level and all our decisions will be guided by what is in the best interests of the learner. This entails going back to basics: ensuring that our teachers are adequately trained and present, punctual and prepared, that textbooks are available, and that there is adequate testing of learner performance.
This budget was inherited from the previous ANC administration. Therefore, we will ensure that selected funds within this budget are channelled into new projects and initiatives to bring them into line with our policies and vision for the department of education.
The budget allocated to the Western Cape education department, WCED, is the single biggest allocation in the province. The WCED has been allocated over R10 billion for 2009-10, representing 35,7% of the total provincial budget. Public ordinary school education continues to be the main focus of the department's funding - it is allocated 81,1% of the budget, with 54,9% of this allocated to primary schools and 38,4% to secondary schools.
Included in the 2009-10 budget are the following conditional grants and earmarked allocations. The National Schools Nutrition Programme has been allocated R112,5 million to feed 335 000 learners daily. Consolidated infrastructure and maintenance, including the provincial infrastructure grant, will receive R378,7 million. Routine maintenance has been allocated R73,7 million. The HIV and Aids programme will be allocated R14,6 million. The budget for early childhood development has increased by 37,5% from the previous year to total R313,4 million for 2009-10. An amount of R92 million has been provided for teacher development.
Allocations for national priorities are as follows. In order to improve resources and conditions for learning, the Quality Improvement, Development, Support and Upliftment Programme has been allocated R129,2 million. The allocation for textbooks for Grades 10 to 12 to support the National Curriculum Statement is R14,8 million.
In terms of literacy and numeracy, we will embark on programmes to improve teacher training, establish a literacy and numeracy resource hub in each district in the province, and introduce new multimedia programmes for use by teachers. I am pleased to note that the budget for school safety goes up from R14,9 million to R20,6 million. We will focus on initiatives and partnerships among schools, parents, neighbourhood watches, the police and the community. The budget allocation for adult education and skills training is R30,9 million.
Our administration has also proposed a number of initiatives that will reinforce our priorities in this department. Firstly, we will be reviewing and updating the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act of 1997. The Act has not been subject to any revision in the past 12 years while the South African Schools Act has been revised eight times during the same period.
Therefore, the Act must be the subject of a clinical review to bring it in line with potential future changes in the education landscape. Part of this legislative process is the need to review the provisions relating to the establishment of the education council. The provincial government is currently in violation of a statutory requirement that provides for the existence of such a council. If properly constituted, such a council can play a key advisory role in finding solutions to the myriad challenges facing education in the Western Cape.
Improving and enhancing school management is also a major priority for us. We will therefore develop and strengthen performance management systems to ensure that our schools are held accountable for their performance. This administration is committed to telling the truth about what is working in this department and what is not. We will take responsibility for our performance and be accountable to our stakeholders. We will always be conscious that our number one priority is and always will be doing what is in the best interests of the learner. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, hon MECs and hon members, in 2008 learners across South Africa wrote the same National Curriculum Statement examination for the first time. This marked the completion of the radical curriculum change first introduced in 1997 as Curriculum 2005, and then the Revised Curriculum Statement in 2002.
So it is, therefore, in the interests of all South Africans that the ANC supports this budget as it seeks to ensure the effective implementation of the National Curriculum Statement, including the provision of quality education. Given the challenging postapartheid conditions as well as the short time for implementation, this is a staggering achievement of which South Africa's education system can justly be proud.
Indeed, the ANC-led government successfully championed this improved, globally competitive and locally responsive National Curriculum Statement. In addition, the National Curriculum Statement is the effective implementation of the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign and it is significant in ensuring success for learners in the system. This campaign gives practical expression to the task of building schools as thriving centres of excellence, as the President alluded to in the state of the nation address. Furthermore, an invariable commitment to the non- negotiables by all stakeholders is significant, as was identified in the ANC January 8 Statement for 2009, and the subsequent state of the nation address.
It is not only teachers and learners who should commit to being at school on time, in class, teaching and learning. There is also a need for education districts to be proactive and responsive to the needs of all the schools. I think the Deputy Minister has alluded to accountability, and if we have these processes in place and have accountability from the district, we are going to go far.
In support of the promotion of excellence, the strengthening of the integrated quality management system - now being externally moderated - and the establishment of the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit contribute to the quest to improve the performance of schools and the system as a whole. Similarly, relationships between teachers and the state should be characterised by an inclusive national discourse that focuses on what support teachers need, and how to achieve quality improvement.
To my colleague from Cope I'd like to say that the integrated quality management system has elements of needs and skills audits and analysis, and with your problem of learners not having the vocabulary and the skills that are envisaged in this programme, that problem will be easily solved.
Furthermore, one of the most significant factors affecting learner performance is teacher quality, and the effect is greater for the poor. In this regard, the provision of formal training as a precondition for promoting teachers to principals and heads of departments is significant in developing sound management and leadership, as indicated by the President in the 2009 state of the nation address. We are happy to learn that the President will be meeting the principals in due course.
Again, I want to say to my colleague in the IFP that when it comes to the appointment of teachers who are qualified and to school governing bodies that you say are not well prepared for this, but if we all engage in the Kha Ri Gude campaign that is aimed at educating our adults we will not have a problem.
The medium of instruction is a critical issue. In the delivery of the curriculum the government is well aware that the attainment of initial literacy and numeracy in the home language for at least four years leads to improved literacy levels. However, the choice of the medium of instruction lies with the parents. It takes two to tango. We come with these policies but the parents keep on dragging their feet. So, it is our job - I say to my colleague from the IFP - to also encourage our parents and show them the need for our learners to be educated in their own languages, at least in lower classes.
Coming from Mpumalanga, the province being a rural area, we are reviewing the best models to deliver quality education to the remote farms and rural schools to ensure that we provide holistic support for learners in poor households. Among other things, we will be using the abandoned boarding facilities and extending the provision of transport to learners who cannot access school very easily. We need to strengthen the capacity of the further education and training colleges to respond to the needs of provincial economies. I am happy that this budget talks to that, and the Deputy Minister has also alluded to that.
Indeed, education is fundamental to the achievement of the society envisaged in the Freedom Charter. To this end, an educated and engaged youth are indispensable to present and future nation-building. Government must intensify the implementation of policies in the education and training sector in order to ensure that it is committed to increasing access to quality education so that quality education is realised. I hope my colleague from the ID realises that we see that policies need to be implemented and monitored.
As I conclude, I must say that we have to be able to support our own involvement in our oversight duties as we will indeed be working together and with communities, agencies and schools, and that we must develop effective plans to better protect the rights of the learner, particularly those of young girls, as well as the rights of teachers. Thank you. [Applause.]
Chair, in closing the debate, I again want to thank my colleagues who took time off from their provincial duties to join us here. Ntate Masome and Ntate Qwaso, thank you very much. I also wish to thank the representatives from provinces for joining us in this debate. I wish to thank the chairperson of the committee for the preparations and the members of the standing committee and all the colleagues and hon members who participated in the debate.
I think the member of the DA rightfully raises questions about quality and I think if you reread our theme and internalise it, you will realise that the issue of quality is central to our debate. Our position in this debate is that, as much as we think we have achieved many things, we are still confronted with the challenge of making sure that our quality matches up with our quantity. So, I think that we are in agreement on that issue, so there is no debate about it.
I fully agree with the member of the ANC who mentioned the National School Nutrition Programme. Indeed, the school nutrition programme should not just be a feeding scheme; it should also help us to enhance the nutritional status of our children and promote nutritional programmes in our communities. It should be part of a healthy living programme, so that our children are also encouraged and taught through this programme to embrace healthy lifestyles.
A member of the ANC raised an issue concerning adult basic education. Again, I fully agree with the comrade. We have a very successful programme in the national department called Kha Ri Gude. It should, however, also develop working ties with NGOs and with business and provincial initiatives, so that we have a comprehensive literacy programme - not a literacy programme that runs parallel to other literacy programmes. This time we will sort it out, especially in KZN, to make sure that this programme works very closely with other initiatives so that it can spread out and expand.
I don't intend responding to everything because, as I said yesterday in my debate in the House, education finds itself in a very fortunate situation in that it is able to rise above political and ideological divides. We find that, in most instances, the issues raised by members are issues we agreed on. Perhaps members had to debate because that is part of what they are supposed to do. Basically we are in agreement. Most of the things that have been raised are contained in our strategic plan, and we invite members to study that strategic plan. They will discover that there is indeed much agreement between us.
I can also tell hon Plaatjie of Cope that, at the Congress of the People, convened by the ANC in 1956, the vision of education for all was there. That vision continues to lead all people who believe in the Congress vision. So, all members of Cope are under the leadership of the ANC, because only the ANC can lead the Congress of the People. Any other congress not led by the ANC cannot be the Congress of the People. [Interjections.] My point is that the view and vision are contained in our book. Follow it, Baba, as you want to follow the Congress of the People, because the Congress of the People can only be led by the ANC.
Concerning the issue raised by hon Magadla, we have agreed that the infrastructure is underresourced. We have also referred to the matter. If you want a teacher in class, on time, teaching, there has to be support mechanisms that enable that educator to be in class, teaching. We agree that infrastructure - especially in rural and poor areas - continues to be a challenge for us. Again, we are committed to doing something about it.
What I am quite pleased about is the meetings that we had with provincial ministers of education. I do believe that all of us, whether in government as MECs or as players in education, can confront most of the challenges together. Working together we will succeed. From most of the points that were raised by members you would have gathered that there is coherence between what we are doing and what is being done in provinces. Therefore, I think we will work together as a team.
On the issue of the Western Cape, I think you are quite correct to say that that is an old budget. But our reports are saying that the education department with the highest performance in the country is the Western Cape. In the past five years, under the leadership of the ANC, the province did very well. So, you are quite bright. If you have 3 million you possibly have the mandate that enables you to change things, but I think you should be careful not to discard things that work. The WCED is one of the best- performing departments in the country. So, you are inheriting a good infrastructure. Don't hesitate; grab it and build on it, but don't doubt that you have a good product in hand.
I also want to say I think Baba uZulu raised fundamental issues and agree with him. The department is currently planning to bring amendments to our schools Act to the House. These amendments should begin to address some of the issues, like nepotism in job interviews. We are also saying that it won't be a one-size-fits-all solution.
There are capable governing bodies, so we should find a balance. We need to make sure that while we support schools which are not capable of undertaking certain activities, we don't deny those that are the chance to do so. That is what we are trying to look at and we will be suggesting some amendments.
I also agree with you, Baba uZulu, on the issue of the national school fund. I am very aware that my colleague hon Nzimande is looking at that, because some of the children who we send to institutions of higher learning not only need tuition books and accommodation, but also need a living allowance. They need money for socks; they need money for a few things that sustain them at school. So, hon Nzimande is looking at that. There is a review of the fund to make sure that we can accommodate children who come from the poorest of families. So, again, there won't be a one-size-fits-all solution.
I agree with the ID on quite a number of things. We are saying that we should support our strategic plan, but also agree that poor children are catered for under Social Development. There is no point in giving a parent R700 and then charging that parent R700 for fees. We might as well keep the R700. So, we won't give families R700 and then ask children to bring R700 for the fees, because what is the point of giving them the money and immediately taking it back from them?
So, all the other issues are being catered for. Poor children are catered for under the child support grant. Therefore, we expect that some of the needs that you are raising will be accommodated there. So, we will continue to fund schools and not children, because all the things we are providing schools with are things that we know they need. So, we don't want to go the long way of giving and then taking it back from them. We will continue to do it that way.
Let me conclude by thanking members. I think we have taken note. Most of the points that I have not responded to concern issues on which we are in agreement. We appreciate some of the points that comrades and members have raised. We will integrate them into our thinking and planning and we will definitely only benefit from the comments or criticisms that are being levelled against us, and build from there.
In closing, I again want to thank my colleagues. I can assure the NCOP that, together with the provinces, we are going to work very well. When you visit provinces you will find a coherent programme which will be a partnership between us - the national department - and provinces.
We are developing clear plans which really incorporate provincial work into national work so that we have one seamless system of education which is not fragmented by the fact that we have a national department and provincial departments. We will share these plans with members in due course. We are striving at all costs to make sure that we have only one system of education, and that that system of education is not fragmented by the fact that there are different provinces. So, I want to thank everyone for participating in the debate. It was quite useful. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.