Hon Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, Members of Parliament, hon Members of the Executive Council, MECs, Members of Provincial Legislatures, MPLs, and distinguished guests; molweni. It is indeed an honour to be afforded an opportunity towards this important debate.
Chairperson, the National Development Plan's, NDP, Vision 2030 identifies decent work, education and the capacity of the state as particularly important priorities. The NDP envisages that by 2030, South Africans should have access to education and training of the
highest quality and it further suggests that the education, training and innovation system should cater for different needs, and produce highly skilled individuals with adequate skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the economy and society.
The NDP set access rates targets for the entire post-school education, including the Tvet sector. The NDP provides that by 2030, student headcount enrolments in the TVET colleges should reach 2,5 million.
Furthermore, the NDP suggests that to enhance work exposure for students and lecturers, relationships should be strengthened between TVET colleges and industry. Such exposure would directly influence participation rates, throughput rates and create a space for artisan development; and so respond to the NDP target seeking to produce 30 000 artisans annually by 2030.
Both the African National Congress' 54th National Conference resolutions and the President of the country, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa's February and June 2019 State of the Nation Addresses, reiterate that education and skills development must be prioritised.
The President pronounced that at the centre of efforts to achieve higher and more equitable growth, to draw young people into employment and to prepare our country for the digital age must be the prioritisation of education and the development of skills.
Furthermore, the President declared that government is committed to contribute R100 billion into the Infrastructure Fund over a 10-year period as a first step to expand projects already underway, such as student accommodation.
Chairperson, we are not a country in isolation as the results our plans find perspective to both out regional and international agendas. For instance; we find solace amongst, but not limited to the Aspiration 1 of the African Union Agenda 2063:
A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development.
This aspiration envisages an Africa with well-educated and skilled citizens, underpinned by science, technology, innovation for a knowledge society as the norm, and no child missing school due to poverty or any form of discrimination.
This is where we are striving to as the country, taking a cue from these important prescripts. Access rate at the TVET colleges remains constant at 710 535 due to unforeseen expansion challenges. Chairperson while we acknowledge access progress, certification rate remains a challenge.
The ANC-led government has made significant progress in the past 25 years in the provision of quality post-education system. However, Chairperson, we remain conscious of the challenges that still face our colleges and we remain resolute that we shall continue to address them, and to provide necessary support for them to be able to meet the standards of their post- school education counterparts.
Some of the challenges include infrastructure, outdated curriculum, qualified lecturers, lack of artisans to mend workshops, non- accredited workshops, information systems and etc.
The performance of Tvet colleges has been under spotlight for underperformance. As a result, we welcome plans by the department that seek to monitor student performance, Tvet colleges'adherence to governance standards and implementation of teaching and learning support plans in Tvet colleges over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period.
The department is doing so to ensure improved performance of Tvet colleges in response to the need for provision of a quality skills programme that meets the needs of the labour market.
Chairperson, this is what we all have been concerned about; the credibility of the Tvet college programmes in relation to what the industry requires.
In support of that, we welcome a portion of the R1 9 billion over the MTEF period that is allocated to the National Examination and Assessment sub- programme in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme, to be used to ensure credibility of the national examinations and assessments and to eradicate certification backlogs through implementation of Information Technology, IT, examination services system.
In support of expansion and ensuring that TVET campuses are well distributed, we welcome the funds set aside to operationalise three new Tvet college campuses, namely; Waterberg Tvet College in Thabazimbi, Umfolozi Tvet College in Nkandla and Umfolozi Tvet College in Bhambanana.
As a result, transfers to Tvet colleges through the programme are expected to increase at an average annual rate of 18,9 per cent from R4 3 billion in 2018-19 to R7 2 billion in 2021-22 financial years.
These transfers include R967 2 million over the medium term for the operationalisation of three new Tvet college campuses as highlighted. Over the same period, R4 9 billion is set to be allocated for infrastructure related spending at TVET colleges and the spending on the compensation of employee's accounts is set to increase at an average annual rate of 7,2 per cent, from R63 billion in 2018-19 to R7 7 billion in 2021-22 financial years.
This is attributable to the fact that almost 70 per cent of the department's personnel are paid through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme.
Chairperson, in spite of the challenges that still cripple the TVET college system, we have steadily supported this programme.
As the result, the budget allocated towards Programme 4: Technical, Vocational Education and Training, grew significantly from R3 9 billion in 2010 to R12 7 billion in 2019, representing 14 per cent of the total department budget.
As the African National Congress, we acknowledge that the Technical Vocational Education and Training budget which equates to R12 7 billion, representing an increase of R1 3 billion or 12,6 per cent in real terms when the inflation factor is taken into consideration, is not enough when considering the importance of skills for the country and the need to redress the skills force.
However, we shall continue to advocate for more allocation to the Tvet sector budget allocation for it to match the importance of its sector.
Chairperson, the current political reforms made significant gains and progress in overcoming the lack of skills development legacy of the past. Incorporation of skills sectors such as Sector Education and Training Authorities, SETAs, under the post-school education and policy reform suggest that skills development is a critical priority and requires concerted efforts by all.
Nevertheless, the triple challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality in South Africa suggest that South Africa is not yet equipped with the skills required for its economic and employment growth.
Chairperson, the state of infrastructure in our public institutions needs urgent attention to afford students with opportunities to develop requisite skills on the job.
Moreover, the competitive environment between the public and private sectors needs to be levelled; and requires constructive talks between the two sectors to find ways to support each other and the national skills drive thereof, according to government plans.
Chairperson, while we seek to up the game on the skills development drive. Such move might not be quickly attained considering the expenditure of the budget allocation to Programme 5: Skills Development.
Chairperson, realisation of the number of artisans as targeted in the NDP is seriously affected by budget availability. Programme 5: Skills Development receives a budget allocation of R282 4 million, representing 0.32 per cent of the total department budget, which is a slap on the face.