Hon Mpontshane, I think you will agree with me that the results are the outcomes that will show how successful we have been in the Northern Cape.
However, in terms of attendance, there are some things that indicate success or failure. For instance, of the Grade 12 learners who went to the camps, only 20 didn't write the exams. Therefore, in terms of attendance alone, which is what I could measure immediately, I think it was successful.
The classes at the camp were conducted daily from 8:00 to 18:00, there were no difficulties and the learners wrote their trial exams. These are the inputs which I say are indicators for success.
Whether those additional classes yielded positive results or not, we will only see when the results come out at the end of the year. In terms of the reports on inputs, I can say they were successful.
Immediately after the textbooks saga erupted in Limpopo and there were difficulties, I met with all the principals in Limpopo to discuss with them how we should deal with the situation. I was quite relieved when the majority of them said that because they had been trained in the Caps curriculum, they knew exactly where the variations were and they were able to deal with them in terms of existing materials at the schools.
Therefore, very few schools would have been negatively affected by the delay in delivering books, and I can give you examples. For a subject such as History in Grade 10, for instance, there were no new topics and so there was no reason to panic. The subjects in which there were new topics to be covered only constituted 3%; hence, schools were able to deal with this.
In terms of the time that we had during the spring vacation, we managed to deal with the variations between the old curriculum and the enhanced curriculum. This was an area which was easily manageable, and principals also confirmed that. Some principals even said that they just didn't need it as they had dealt with the challenges and they are fine. Again, I can say they were successful.
There was only one new thing that came up during my meetings with principals, and it came as a surprise. They highlighted areas which were in both the old and new curriculum which teachers had difficulty in teaching.
The catch-up programme was not about solving the problems caused by delays in the delivery of textbooks, rather it was focused on subject areas which teachers did not feel very confident to teach. That was what the programme was focused on. Therefore, I can say it was successful in the sense that it gave us even more information to work on.
Position regarding drafting of national minimum standards for school infrastructure
424. Mrs C Dudley (ACDP) asked the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether she has instructed her department to draft suitable national minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure as recommended by the Auditor-General in August 2011; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NO3941E