Speaker, on the progress with regard to Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, we can report that the section 100(1)(b) intervention in the Eastern Cape education department has resulted in reasonably good progress in addressing a number of key prioritised issues as presented in the 2011-12 financial year. There is a greater sense of appreciation of the root causes of the problems through increased compliance with all systems, policies and practices.
However, we also believe that further work needs to be done to ensure that the gains that are being made are carried through. It is clear that the Eastern Cape education department is well on the way to stabilisation and normalisation. Because of time constraints, we can't share some of the good news. However, I can say, for instance, that I had a meeting with the Auditor-General, who told me that, had it not been for the accumulation of problems from the past, the Eastern Cape, this year, would have received an unqualified audit report. But, because it still had many problems from the past, it received a qualified report. It has moved from getting a disclaimer to getting a qualified report, which I thought shows progress because, in the past, the Auditor-General had said to them that there was nothing he could do as he could not even audit their books. However, this time they were audited and he gave them a qualified report.
Speaker, we want to say that the intervention in the Limpopo department of education has led to quite a number of breakthroughs. The austerity measures that have been developed and implemented continue to deal with the accumulated deficit of the past years. The systems and operations to ensure that the department meets its obligation to deliver on the established minimum standards for the provisioning of quality education systems are being established. Speaker, it should be emphasised that the inability of the Limpopo department of education to fund key strategic educational priorities was a symptom of a failing system and, therefore, the department's administration requires systemic improvements.
The last question asks as to when we are quit going both provinces. We can say that, to create certainty in the system, a clear and objective framework to exit is being developed for both Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. For Limpopo, under the leadership of Treasury, we should be announcing when we will be leaving the province but we are working furiously to ensure that we put systems in place to sustain the intervention. The same applies to the Eastern Cape. We are in discussion with the province. We are finalising our exit programme with them and we do hope that in good time, again through the committee, we will be announcing the exact date as to when we will be leaving the Eastern Cape. What we are thinking of is to downgrade rather than leaving immediately, but we are quite confident that the province is still stabilising and is on a positive, upward trend. Thank you, Speaker. NK N GINA: Somlomo, Ngqongqoshe impendulo iyajabulisa ukuthi ukhona umehluko owenzekayo kodwa engithanda ukukubuza uNgqongqoshe njengamanje ukuthi: Kukho konke lokungenelela enikwenzile kulezi zifundazwe zombili, siyabona ukuthi ikhona inqubekelaphambili kodwa ingqikithi yakhona impela ukuthi nibonile ukuthi kwaba yini umsuka. Ngifisa ukwazi ukuthi kusukela manje ukuya phambili kuloku okwenzekile siyayithola yini into engaba yisifundo ukuze sisheshe sibone uma kukhona okushaya amanzi nawe usheshe ungenelele? Kuko konke lokhu okwenzekile sithi yini engaba yisifundo nakwezinye izifundazwe ukuze singaziboni futhi siphinda sehlelwa yilezi zinkinga ezibhekene nalezi zifundazwe zombili. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[Ms N GINA: Chairperson, Minister, your response is encouraging with regard to the progress that we can see, but what I would like to ask, Minister, right now is: Out of all the interventions that you have made in the two provinces, we can see that there is progress but the main thing is that you have found the cause. I would like to know if there are any lessons that were learnt from what happened so that in going forward, we can make a quick reference to it in order to see if there is something wrong and then intervene. We would like to know what lessons the other provinces can learn from all that has happened so that we don't find ourselves facing the same problems that are faced by the two provinces. Thank you.]]
Speaker, indeed, it is not only as a department but also as a sector that we have learned our lessons. As a national department our responsibility is to monitor and advise. The Constitution does not allow us, by law, to go and interfere in the work of the province, and that is why we ask for permission from the NCOP and everybody else when things go wrong and put forward a case on why we want to go and intervene.
On an ongoing basis through the Council of Education Ministers, CEM, we do give reports to provinces, monitoring and advising them on what is happening. That is as far as we can go as the national department. What this has taught us also - both as a province and a national department - is to use the reports that are always shared at the CEM for provinces to avoid the catastrophe that is currently occurring in Limpopo. Through this intervention, provinces themselves have begun to take seriously some of the warning signs because the problems in Limpopo and Eastern Cape have been a long time coming. They have been reported at every CEM, but our power as the national department goes as far as saying, ``Here is a problem; deal with it. If you don't deal with it, then don't deal with it.'' That's the unfortunate part of it all. [Interjections.]
Hon Waters, is that a follow-up question?
No.
Mr Speaker, the response that the Minister has just given does not differ from what she said in 2011. Basically it is the same question. I am sure both the Minister and the entire House know that, in spite of the Cabinet task team to deal with the problem there, nothing has actually happened.
In Limpopo itself things have become worse. The new MEC has been appointed, the principals and teachers have their reasons to say things are wrong. Parents have reasons to remove their children from schools, particularly in the former Venda area. I am therefore saying that we have a very serious problem. What is it that you are doing, Minister, to deal with these kinds of problems that we face?
No, Ntate Madisha, we need to be very scientific so that we are also not disingenuous about the points we are making. I have just said to you ... I am not sure what is similar. I just gave one example of meeting the Auditor-General who said that, in 2013, the province of Eastern Cape has moved from getting a disclaimer to getting a qualified report. I never said that in 2011. So, I am not sure what you are talking about.
I can give you a lot of examples. In 2011, we said that, in Limpopo, there were more than 2000 excess teachers, but now there are less than 100 excess teachers. What is similar there? I can give you a list of examples. So, I am not sure what the member is talking about ... [Interjections.] ... with regard to the reasons that the parents ... I really don't know, but I think the member is just speaking for the sake of speaking. Honestly, I am not sure what he is comparing between 2011 and 2012, and where parents are removing children from. Let him give me facts, then we can deal with issues factually and not emotionally, as I suspect is the case. [Applause.]
Minister, your intervention in my home province the Eastern Cape commenced in March 2011. You provided - just this morning - the NCOP select committee with a very positive spin on what you see as your achievements. However, Minister, you know that since that date - March 2011 - two years ago, you and the Eastern Cape education MEC have had to be forced, by the courts, to provide the most basic schooling needs. High court orders have had to instruct the replacement of unsafe school structures, the appointment of enough teachers, the payment of teachers and the provision of desks. How can it be that, after two-and-a-half years of administration, over R6 million is owed to teachers in arrears salaries, and over 650 000 learners are without serviceable desks? If the officials are working furiously, as you say, can you explain to us and to Eastern Cape learners just why the most basic of requirements require court orders to achieve?
Hon Chair, I am not sure where the spin comes from because in the report we gave to the NCOP, we spelled out what progress we've made. We've conceded that a lot of work still needs to be done and that is why, even in the response here, I said we are not as yet ready to leave the province, because there are still a number of issues to be addressed. The member is raising some of the issues, and not raising others. It is a problem. If you are going to spell out our remaining problems, identify those things and deny - if indeed they are not true - what we say we have achieved, so it's not a spin put on events, but facts; we can verify.
I don't want to repeat the Auditor-General's report and quite a number of things. We have stabilised the province. It is no longer bleeding. When we went to the Eastern Cape in 2011, at that time children were not being fed and there were no books. That is why we went there. There was no scholar transport; it had collapsed. When we went to intervene in the Eastern Cape, we specified five areas, hon member. We didn't say that we were going to take over the whole department. We said that we were going to assist in terms of scholar transport, school nutrition, HR issues, and finance. Things which you raised about desks were not part of the intervention. I don't want it to seem as if I am in denial of what is there.
We are not taking over the department. We have identified specific areas in which we are going to intervene, and those are the areas that we are reporting on. All the other matters you raised are the issues that we are assisting the province to work with. That is why we are saying we don't think it is correct for us to leave now. You are quite correct. There is quite a number of issues that still need to be addressed in that province. What you can't deny is that, indeed, we have stabilised the situation. The bleeding is over.
The results are what we assessed the system on. There is an upward trajectory. We didn't deny the fact that not all teachers were paid; there are 27 that have not been paid. There are quite a number of cases. If you look at the report, we even tell you how many legal files we've closed. We sent our own lawyers to go and assist, but there are still some files which are open. The Auditor-General says that, if they were auditing for us in 2013, we would have got an unqualified report. However, because there are quite a number of issues that date back, they are not even able to give us a clean audit. So, this means that there is still a backlog, which is historical and we have to work with the province to address it. There is no spin about it; it's factual. We've made progress, but we are conceding there are still a lot of things that still need to be done in the province. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Particulars regarding decision to distribute food parcels in Ward 9 in Tlokwe Municipality
272. Mr M Waters (DA) asked the Minister of Social Development:
On what (a) date and (b) basis was it decided to distribute food parcels in Ward 9 in Tlokwe Municipality in North West on 6 and 7 August 2013? NO2807E
Mr Speaker, as I indicated in my earlier reply to hon Kganare, the Department of Social Development and its agencies work closely with various partners to identify poverty-stricken communities throughout the country, with a view to address the immediate needs, whilst putting in place interventions that will assist such communities in the long term. I have raised the issue of the General Household Survey and, in that survey, the Tlokwe Local Municipality was identified as one of the areas where severe cases of malnutrition in children below the age of five years were reported.
Hon Speaker, it is a common fact that since 1994 the ANC-led government has been waging an unwavering war on poverty on all fronts. This is part of our government's determination to dismantle the legacy of apartheid by rallying and mobilising communities to tackle the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.
In October 2011, the Department of Social Development launched the Food for All campaign as a response to the alarming levels of poverty, in particular malnutrition amongst children. This followed reports on the death of children in Verdwaal in the North West province due to malnutrition. The initial intervention of this campaign commenced in Limpopo province and is still going on.
The campaign seeks to ensure food security for vulnerable households for a period of six months, while other developmental initiatives are pursued. These include the establishment of household food gardens; attendance by the preschool children in early childhood development centres; and ensuring that vulnerable families who qualify are supported through social assistance.
The insinuation by the official opposition that the provision of Social Relief of Distress is meant to entice voters in Tlokwe is nothing but shameless political opportunism and cheap political grandstanding at its best. Is the hon member suggesting that government should stop assisting people in need just because there are by-elections?
The DA is desperately trying to derail the work of our government by completely misrepresenting the truth by using the Social Relief of Distress, SRD, for political gain without any factual basis for it. This is not only false, but offensive to the poor as it suggests that people ... Thank you, Mr Speaker. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
Speaker, the DA is not saying food parcels should not be delivered because of by-elections, but the ANC is only delivering food parcels because of by-elections. That is a clear distinction. I would like to highlight the fact that in Tlokwe in ward 9 last month, food parcels were only delivered on 6 and 7 August, the day before the by-election and the day of the by-election. If that is not abuse of state funds, then I do not know what is.
Also, Speaker, it is not coincidence that, on Friday, the Minister is having a televised outreach imbizo in Tlokwe, just five days before nine crucial by-elections, where 3 000 to 5 000 food parcels are to be distributed. That is a fact, Minister. State resources are only being pumped into wards where there are by-elections, with the poor in neighbouring wards being neglected; another fact, Minister. It is clear that if voters want a free food parcel, all they have to do is fire their incompetent ANC councillor. That is another fact, Minister.
Can the Minister inform this House when other wards in Tlokwe will receive their food parcels or do they have to wait for a by-election to be declared? Thank you. [Applause.]
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Somlomo, akulona iqiniso ukuthi ngosuku olwalungaphambi kokhetho kwakunamaphasela okudla ayenikwa abantu. Akulona iqiniso futhi nginesiqiniseko salokho ngoba yimina owakhuluma noNgqongqoshe wesiFundazwe sase-North West, kanti futhi lawo maphasela okudla ayezokhishwa kwakungamaphasela okudla oMnyango wezokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi esifundazweni. Asinawo amandla okuwalawula singuhulumeni kazwelonke...[Ubuwelewele.] ... njengoba singenawo amandla okulawula ukukhishwa kwamaphasela okudla esifundazweni senu; kuyafana. Hhayi ukuthi asinawo amandla okulawula ukukhishwa kwamaphasela okudla esifundazweni sase- North West kuphela, kepha nasesifundazweni senu asinawo amandla okulawula ukukhishwa kwamaphasela okudla. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Speaker, it is not true that food parcels were distributed to the people on the day preceding the voting day. I am sure of that as I was the one who spoke to the MEC of the North West Province, and those food parcels that were going to be distributed were from the provincial Department of Social Development. We have no control over them as national government ... [Interjections.] ... as much as we do not have control over the distribution of food parcels in your province; it is the same thing. It is not that we do not have control over the distribution of food parcels in the North West Province only, but the same applies to your province as well.]
That is why ...
Nina lo josaka wenu. [Ubuwelewele.] [Uhleko.]
Enye into ukuthi kubuhlungu nje ngoba niyabona ukuthi ngeke kube kuhle kulolu khetho oluzayo, yingakho senithi aniqale ngendaba yamaphasela okudla. Uma ningahamba niyofuna abemithombo yezindaba ngenxa yokuthi abantu balaphaya baphakamisa izinkinga eziningi, sizohlala khona izinyanga eziyisithupha, asikazukuhamba. Ngakho-ke, njengoba kade silaphaya siyabuyela futhi sisazophinde sibuyele. [Ihlombe.] Nizothi senzani? Nizothi sesikhankasela ukhetho lukazwelonke! Nani aniziyekile izinhlelo zenu ngenxa yokuthi sekuyiwa okhethweni futhi nani niyaya ezindaweni noma kumawadi uma ngabe kuzoba nokhetho lokuchibiyela, akuyena uhulumeni kaKhongolose kuphela oya emawadini uma kuzoba nokhetho. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[It also applies to your backpacks. [Interjections.] [Laughter.]
Another thing is that you know that it is not going to be nice during the next election; that is why you decided to put the food parcel issue on the table. If you go and look for the media just because the people in that area raise many concerns, we will stay there for six months; we are not going to leave yet. So, we were there, we are going back there and we will continue to go back there. [Applause.] What are you going to say it is that we are doing? Are you going to say we are campaigning for the national elections? You also did not stop working on your programmes just because the elections are coming up, and you also go to areas or wards when there is going to be by-elections; it is not only the ANC-led government that goes to the wards when there is going to be elections.]
Ke a leboga motlotlegi Mmusakgotla. Tona, re le baagi ba Bokone Bophirima re lebogela matsapa a gago le lefapha a go bona gore batho ba rona ba amogela diphuthelwana tsa dijo, batho ba e leng gore ba a di tlhoka e bile ba bolawa ke tlala. Potso ya me ke gore: A o tla netefatsa gore batho ba ba neng ba amogela diphuthelwana tsa dijo, ba tla bona tshegetso eo go fitlhela malapa a bona a nna le bokgoni?
TONA YA TLHABOLOLO LOAGO: Ee mme, go jalo. [Setshego.] (Translation of Setswana paragraphs follows.)
[Mrs M V MAFOLO: Thank you, hon speaker. Minister as the residents of North West we would like to thank you for the efforts taken by you and your department in ensuring that our people receive food parcels, especially those who need them and the poor. My question is: Will you ensure that those who received these food parcels continue to receive this support until their families are able to make a decent living?
Yes, hon member, definitely. [Laughter.]]
Sizoqhubeka seseke abantu bethu. Ngeke size la sizokhala uma kunezinkinga. Njengoba ngikhuluma nje, abantu base-Athlone bebengazitholi izibonelelo zemali kahulumeni ngoba isibonelelo semali kahulumeni sitholakala uma ngabe usonhlalakahle esesihlolile isimo somndeni. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[We will continue to support our people. We will not come and complain here when there are problems. As I speak, people from Athlone do not receive government grants, because you only get a government grant once the social worker has assessed the welfare of the family.]
We had to bring in 40 social workers from other provinces to assess households. We have never come here to say you are not there or you are not working with us. What we are doing is to focus on our work and nothing else. [Applause.]
Minister, as you say, you will be there for six months; it means that people will be expecting you again to go and give them food parcels. What is happening with this abuse of state resources is not sustainable, particularly the inappropriate use of the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, officials for elections. It's not appropriate. The ANC should earn their votes through hard work and delivery of services. Be warned, Minister, the poor are not stupid. Ask your ANC Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, what happened on Monday when he flew to ward 26.
During your meeting with the provincial leadership of North West, you learnt that over 19 000 children suffer from malnutrition and there are over 17 000 child-headed households in Tlokwe, but Minister, you still continue to abuse the poor and give people food parcels just before elections.
My question is: Will the Minister recommend to the premier to fire the MEC for Social Development in North West for underperforming and only issuing social relief to the poor five days before the nine crucial elections in Tlokwe? [Applause.]
Mr Speaker, I do not want to enter into the debate about the issue of the abuse of officials, because there are many officials from social development that are sitting and not doing anything in this province. [Interjections.] If you want to prove that, you must go to the province and find out. So, I do not want to get into that debate.
Order, hon members!
Secondly, our programme focuses on the poor, and that is why we have been also in eMampondweni, eQaukeni and eNyandeni and we are working very hard with communities there. It is not that we go to areas because there are by-elections. That is propaganda, and it will take you nowhere.
As much as we are going to earn votes through hard work, you are also going to earn your votes through hard work and support. The malnutrition and problems we are having today ...
... izinkinga ezindala, aziqali manje. Ngisho la, eNtshonalanga Kapa, e-De Doorns, kunenkinga yokuntuleka kokudla okunomsoco. Ngeke-ke sihambe sibanga umsindo ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[... are old problems, they did not start now. Even here in the Western Cape, at De Doorns, there is a problem with regard to malnutrition. We cannot go around making a noise ...]
... about such things. What we are supposed to be doing is to work together because problems such as poverty are supposed to unite us. So, I do not know why you want to use them as political footballs. Thank you, Mr Speaker. [Applause.]
Hon Speaker, I will definitely not say that the hon Minister is deliberately misleading the House. The Minister has stated several criteria, including consulting with other departments, identifying poverty pockets, unemployment, etc as criteria for her to distribute food. The issue here is the timing of the distribution of the food parcels. It is not about whether the food parcels get distributed or not.
My question is: When did the Minister consult with all other departments and identify that this particular ward was a pocket of poverty in Tlokwe? The other thing is: When was the last meeting on service delivery held in Tlokwe, that all of a sudden there was a discovery that there are poor people in that particular area, just the day before the election?
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Somlomo, ngiyaqala ukuzwa ukuthi isisu sicupha isikhathi [Ubuwelewele.][Uhleko.] [Ihlombe.] Ngiyaqala ngqa futhi angazi ukuthi ubani engiyophinde ngimuzwe ekhuluma ngokucupha isikhathi kwesisu noma ubumpofu. [Ubuwelewele.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)
[The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Speaker, it is the first time I hear that a stomach has timing. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] [Applause.] It is the first time, really. I don't know who else am I going to hear talk of the stomach or poverty having timing. [Interjections.]]
I think that we are now adopting elite and liberal tendencies, because we behave like our kids. We open the refrigerator and look at it. When we find that there is everything there, we do not take anything to eat because everything is there. So, we think even the poor have everything.
You know about the helicopter programme. I always tell the people that we are not a helicopter. We go and stay in various areas for a period of six months. So, we are not a helicopter. Therefore, in Tlokwe and in the Western Cape, we are not going to be a helicopter. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Details of National Education Collaboration Framework
244. Ms N Gina (ANC) asked the Minister of Basic Education:
(a) What are the details of the National Education Collaboration Framework that was launched on 16 July 2013 and (b) how will this benefit schools? NO2723E
Deputy Speaker, the Education Collaboration Framework, ECF, is a partnership initiative involving government, civil society and the business sector. It aims to strengthen co- operation among its stakeholders towards attainment of improved educational outcomes in the country. The ECF seeks to support the implementation of the education reform agenda.
Central to the ECF is the need to set up effective mechanisms for driving the collaboration as envisaged in the NDP. We see this as the implementation of one of the pillars of the NDP. Equally important to the ECF is the need to improve on the historic performance of partnership initiatives in terms of their efficiency, impact, value for money and sustainability.
The ECF is of the view that improvements in the performance of partnership initiatives will be achieved through interventions that include the following: Have an increased focus on priority areas; allow for stronger integration between nongovernmental and government organisations; exhibit increased efficiency; carefully identify and capture the key conditions for success; create avenues for mainstreaming lessons from government-social partner interventions; capitalise on the gains of the past 18 years, and address the ongoing systemic challenges in education.
Schools will benefit from the ECF by means of agreed upon interventions to improve learning effectiveness and to address major deficits in resourcing and infrastructure. Identified interventions to improve school functionality will be phased-in and fulfilled within 5 years with the following elements: Based on evidence within a holistic framework; determined by need and profiles of schools; ensuring basic functionality at all schools and districts; providing a care and support package like minor repairs and maintenance, human resources, basic school resourcing, and will also look at incentives for improved performance.
Deputy Speaker, I can share with the House that the department and its partners are ready to actually give you the first three months' report on the work that has been done under collaboration. We have profiled quite a number of schools, hon Madisha from Limpopo. We have profiled the entire Vhembe District. We know specifically school by school what the challenges are and have developed plans, and we are ready to share with colleagues the great work that is happening under the collaboration agreement. Thank you.
Ngibonge Somlomo, Ngqongqoshe le-Education Collaborative Framework esikhuluma ngayo sicabanga ukuthi isibeka eqophelweni njengezwe laseNingizimu Afrika ukuthi ngempela sibone ubudlelwane obukhona phakathi kosomabhizinisi kanye noMnyango.
Kodwa-ke Ngqongqoshe izinto ezinhle ezinjengalezi ziye zisishayise uvalo ngesinye isikhathi mayelana nokuthi senza kanjani ukuthi zizinze? Ngishawa uvalo nje uma ngicabanga ukuthi kubo bonke laba babambiqhaza obabalile, uma sekuza odabeni lokuzinikela nokuphendula uzokubuka kanjani lokho? Ubani oholayo? Ingabe uMnyango wakho noma omunye wababambiqhaza?
Ngibuza ngoba phela asithandi ukubona into enhle kanje inyamalaliswa umbango wokuthi ubani ohola loku kubambisana noma ubani onamagunya amakhulu.
Ngale kwalokho-ke nje ngicela ukuncoma kakhulu uMnyango ngokuqhamuka nohlelo olunje oluzokwazi ukusixazululela izinkinga esinazo kwezemfundo ikakhulukazi kungqalasizinda eshodayo kwezemfundo. [Kwaphela isikhathi.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Ms N GINA: Thank you, Speaker. Minister, we think that this Education Collaboration Framework has placed us at a higher level as South Africa so that we can see the partnership between the businesses and the department.
However, Minister, good things like these sometimes make us feel uncomfortable when we think of how to make them sustainable. I become uncomfortable when I think of all the stakeholders you have mentioned. When it comes to the issue of commitment and accountability, how are you going to monitor that? Who is in charge? Is it someone from your department or one of the stakeholders?
I'm asking because we don't want to see something this good coming to an end because of the conflict regarding who is in charge of the partnership or who has more authority.
Other than that, I want to thank the department for coming up with a programme which will solve the problem we are faced with in education, especially with regard to inadequate infrastructure in education. [Time expired.]]
Deputy Speaker, I must say that the collaboration also involves us collaborating amongst ourselves as government. I have entered into a number of memorandums of understanding with colleagues - Correctional Service, Labour and all other departments - that have bearing.
What we have done is establish a joint structure which involves others. For instance, when we profiled Vhembe, we had a joint structure between the national department, the province itself and the district as well as communities so that, when we are finished with the area, the community, the school and the district will sustain and continue the programme.
Therefore we are profiling and developing plans and we expect the key stakeholders to implement the plans. What we will do at the national level is monitor the process. We have ongoing meetings with all the partners almost on a fortnightly basis whilst we are running with the process. But, as I said, the idea is that, at the end of the day, we will have to leave the implementation to the people who have a mandate to implement, which are provinces.
There is no intention to be there forever but we are mainly setting up the process of reform so that provinces, districts and schools can begin to own the reform process themselves. Thank you.
Through you, Deputy Speaker, Minister, when you launched the National Education Collaboration Trust, you outlined six themes on which the trust will focus. Inter alia, you made a call for courageous and effective leadership. Minister, as a leader in your department, South Africans expect you to lead by example because you are responsible for shaping our education environment.
You have allowed a union by the name of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union, Sadtu, to dictate to you what can or cannot or what will or will not be done. Sadtu has dictated appointments and dismissals at most senior levels. It has halted the implementation of competency tests for exam markers. It has delayed any meaningful performance management systems for teachers. It refuses to accept minimum qualifications for principals. Minister, exactly how will the Trust facilitate ``courageous and effective leadership''? Thank you. [Time expired.]
Chair, the hon Smiles is just hiding his attack on Sadtu by using the collaboration issue and quoting my words on "courageous leadership."
I can report with confidence what courageous things we've done around the collaboration; I thought that was the issue at hand. As I've said, what we've done in the past three months is that we've profiled provinces; we've called community meetings in implementing the trust. On the matter of competency tests, if you're interested to know where we are, I'll tell you where we are with the negotiations, but that is not related to the issue at hand. As I said, you're now hiding your attack on Sadtu by using the collaboration process.
If you want to ask questions about what is happening with Sadtu, ask, and we will talk about that. You asked a question about the collaboration and my answer to that is: Indeed we've been very courageous; we are working and I can report on progress. We've profiled more than eight districts; we've set up structures; visited communities, and we are responding to what we've gathered. So ``courageous'' does not only include competency tests, but it also includes doing the work that we have committed to doing, which is what we are doing. Thank you.
Particulars regarding provision of libraries and laboratories to all schools
245. Mr Z S Makhubele (ANC) asked the Minister of Basic Education:
With reference to providing all schools with libraries and laboratories, (a) what is the current backlog, (b) how does she intend to overcome this challenge, (c) when will it be addressed and (d) do institutions of higher learning produce librarians for each school? NO2725E
Hon Deputy Speaker, on the questions around infrastructure, the answer is based on the information that we have in the system. Of the almost 24 000 schools that we have, a total of almost 70% of the schools do not have libraries and 84% do not have laboratories. This does not include the fact that we said that the main aim of the library is to give kids access to books.
So, there are other measures which we are talking about, which include a physical room called the library. There are measures that the provinces took which, for instance, include the mobile libraries, the cluster libraries, centralised libraries, classroom, book corners and also a number of community libraries which give kids access to books. So, the number does exclude those.
In terms of providing a physical facility, as a department, we have intensified and worked with our provinces. For instance, through our compact disc, cd, which I can share with you, since July we have been handing over a school every week in the Eastern Cape. Next week, around the fourth, we are going to be handing over two of them. We have been handing over a school every week in the provinces, especially in the Eastern Cape where there are big problems.
The provinces also have programmes through their own initiatives. They started launching what they call the 'four-by-fours'. I was in the Free State, where they launched, out of their budgets, libraries, laboratories, computer centres. Those are provincial programmes. What we have also done is to ensure that there is a plan. We are saying to provinces, as a sector, in line with the National Development Plan, NDP, come 2030, all the necessary infrastructure should be in place. That plan is there; we are going to publish it on Monday.
The other question is about training. We are saying that, currently, teachers who already have an initial teacher qualification can further specialise as school librarians by completing an Advanced Certificate in Education, ACE, in this area. There are two universities offering an ACE programme on school librarianship - the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the University of Western Cape.
According to the Department of Higher Education, in terms of trends in 2011, there were 164 students who graduated in library sciences, and 399 are enrolled. The University of Western Cape has 27 graduates and 29 students who have enrolled. There is also a new qualifications policy which is in place on the minimum requirements for teacher education qualification. The universities will phase out the old qualification as they introduce the new, aligned qualification. The new qualification described in the policy, which allows qualified teachers to further specialise as school librarians, include the Advanced Diploma in Education which is at NQF level 7 and the post-graduate education diploma which is at NQF level 8.
In addition to the new qualifications policy, which also allows students who are completing a Bachelor of Education, B.Ed, to select the school library as one of the areas of specialisation. There is also a database for previous enrolment for the old qualification. I thank you. [Time expired.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, I should firstly thank the Minister for the comprehensive response that she gave to my question.
However, I have a follow-up question: What are the efforts and/or the initiatives by your department to encourage or incentivise other universities to offer similar programmes for learners to be attracted to these studies in future? Thank you.
Hon Deputy Speaker, as per the report, we are engaging the Department of Higher Education and also encouraging qualified teachers themselves to register for the ACE in librarianship so that they can also switch and take librarianship. We do it mainly through engagement with the Department of Higher Education. Thank you.
Hon Deputy Speaker, in 2012, 61% of Grade 6 and Grade 9 learners were found to be effectively illiterate in their home languages. Learners are falling behind with respect to writing and reading by the end of the foundation phase and by the end of grade 3. Teachers are not effectively teaching children to read. A library is potentially of great value, but it is useless if reading does not take place and if reading with comprehension is not ensured. You have detailed numerous courses that can voluntarily be undertaken; they are not mandatory.
How will you ensure that every school with a library is educating children to read and to become effectively literate?
Hon Deputy Speaker, our reading strategy is contained in all the documents that the hon member has access to. I thought we were talking about infrastructure, but if you want to talk about reading then we are talking in general. There are many other factors that contribute towards poor reading. I will give you an example of a very interesting study, hon member Lovemore, because we are not talking about infrastructure but about reading in general.
The interesting study says that Russia, which scored the highest in Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, Pirls, has the highest number of adults who read.
South Africa, which is at the bottom, has 5% of South African adults who read, which also means that the reading levels also have much to do with being a reading nation. Those are the many other factors that we can talk about, now that we are talking about reading. When we talk about infrastructure, I will answer those questions, but if you want us to talk about reading, let's talk about the different factors that are influenced by books and being a non-reading nation.
Hon Deputy Speaker, we understand and appreciate the work that has been done with the handing over of one school per week in the Eastern Cape. Certainly, from the side of the ACDP, we want to commend you for that kind of work.
However, recent reports have indicated that, within our schools in South Africa, literacy and numeracy in particular have been one of the weaker points in comparison to our African counterparts. Our schools have performed worse than some of our African counterparts despite the fact that we have a larger input into our education than our African counterparts do.
A recent survey by the World Economic Forum indicated that the quality of the education system in South Africa ranks 146 out of 148. So, certainly there are challenges. The question is: What is being done to reduce the poor performance, particularly in the area of literacy and numeracy and to upgrade the standard in our schools? Thank you.
Hon Deputy Speaker, I think the reports that we are quoting are reports from the department. We can also share with the member that currently, as we are sitting here, almost 7 million of our children in the country are writing their annual national assessments, which we are using also as tools to monitor that the strategies we have put in place are working.
We have put strategies in place; that is why there are book corners, book pockets and reading clubs. We are putting different strategies in place to deal with the reading issue.
The point I was also making to hon member Lovemore is that, for us to improve as a country on reading, it means that, as a nation, we have to read. We are not a reading nation ourselves. Even in our own homes, our kids are not inspired by us reading.
Only 5% of South Africans are advanced readers. In Russia, 95% of the people are advanced readers. This shows that it is a national crisis. We, all of us, have to become a reading nation so that our kids can be inspired. There is access to books; there are all sorts of material available. The schools can only go so far. However, homes also have to create a reading environment in order for kids to love books. We can teach them what to do but, as a nation, we have to start a culture of reading. We have to buy our kids books as presents. We have to exchange books and become a reading nation so that we can be a winning nation. If we as parents expect the school to do it all and fold our hands and watch TV and do not read, we are not helping anyone. We have to read ourselves, first as South Africans. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Speaker, kindly permit me first to thank the Minister for emphasising that reading is extremely important.
I want to further go on and indicate that, albeit the case, the issue of libraries and laboratories falls within the realm of school infrastructure which, as you know, is a major problem at the moment. We have moved around the country and that has been found to be a problem.
Now, in the National Education Infrastructure Management Report, it is indicated that only 8% of schools, for example, have stocked and functioning libraries in the country. Only 10% have stocked computer centres in the country and only 5% have stocked laboratories. Minister, are you able to respond to that and actually say - of course, if you are not able to, you can't - that this is the period within which you will ensure that the entire problem is resolved?
Hon Deputy Speaker, we will be publishing the Norms and Standards for Infrastructure next week, which will include that information. We are saying that the timeframe which the country will think is reasonably feasible will be around the period that has been aligned by the NDP. You are quite correct that our kids' future cannot wait for the NDP, so what I am saying is that we need, as a nation, as parents and as schools, to find ways of dealing with these things.
For instance, in reference to mathematics and science, we are not waiting for the system to roll out laboratories; we are using science kits.
In classrooms, we are not going to wait for the system to roll out libraries. We are using book corners, book pockets and reading clubs because their future can't wait until such time that the infrastructure is in place. The infrastructure is another process but what we are doing now is to ask how we respond in a way that does not rob our kids of their future.
There are different ways. We can use mobile libraries, book clubs and all sorts of measures that are feasible and possible. I am really grateful that members raised this question after Book Week. Let's stand up as a country, not only as a department. Let's take reading seriously. I've seen people reading newspapers from the back. They never buy their kids books as present. They buy cellphones for them and not calculators. There is also a bad culture in the country around the value ascribed to education and reading.
I am saying we should deal with infrastructure separately. Let's focus on what we can do currently, both as a department and as a nation, because this is a national crisis and not only an educational crisis. If only 5% read, it's a national crisis.
Particulars regarding strike at Walter Sisulu University
281. Dr A Lotriet (DA) asked the Minister of Higher Education and Training:
(a) For how long has the strike at the Walter Sisulu University been going on and (b) how many man-days have been lost in total?