Hon Chairperson, when the truth hurts, they try to interrupt and intervene in ways that will distract us from what we are doing.
In fact, in regard to the action plan, the first strategic focus - and the hon Lovemore should pay particular attention to it - is the promotion of literacy and numeracy.
Today we can celebrate the fact that more than 50 million books on literacy and numeracy are distributed at schools. Books go to each and every learner. That's incredible progress from where we were yesteryear. Today every Grade 1 to Grade 9 learner has the benefit of a book that will augment his or her ability in literacy and numeracy. That is critical, and necessary for the provision of quality education.
For the first time in this country we can also celebrate the fact that more than 6 million learners have been universally tested on their ability to read, write and calculate - this has never happened anywhere in the world. Today we can say that we are able to diagnostically assess the ability of learners, class by class, school by school and district by district, and that must, indeed, be celebrated.
Therefore, what we should be saying is that you are making the right advances and correct strategic choices. In fact, let us support you in regard to doing so.
Furthermore, we should celebrate the fact that there is a steady improvement in the performance of our learners in regard to Bachelor's passes and overall percentages. We have heard the Minister saying that the supplementary examination has contributed to and augmented the success. We are now beyond 72% and I think that is an important achievement. [Applause.]
I think the central challenge we face as a country, irrespective of who governs and where we govern, is the issue of accountability. I certainly agree with my hon colleague here that accountability should exist at various levels: in schools, in their professional leadership and management; in the districts, through the district managers; in the provinces, among the heads of departments; and certainly at the national department, in regard to the director-general and the Ministry itself.
What we have done in terms of our strategic plan is to say that the centrality of accountability must inform our ability to be able to deliver quality education. How do we do that? We do that by assessing, and by ensuring that we monitor the performance of our learners; by ensuring that attendance is, in fact, monitored and evaluated; and by intervening when we see that provinces are not fulfilling their executive responsibilities. In fact, we intervene irrespective of the political party to which they belong.
With regard to the intervention, I want to share with the House that Cabinet has mandated the Deputy Minister of the Basic Education and four other Deputy Ministers to oversee, monitor and assess the performance out there.
There is already a dedicated team from Treasury, and the Departments of Basic Education, of Higher Education and Training, of Public Service and Administration, and of Justice and Constitutional Development to support and have a sustained presence in the Eastern Cape; and to ensure that issues of textbooks, nutrition, transport and financial management are being addressed. Indeed, progress is being made.
What we should say is that for the first time this government has taken the drastic step of intervening in terms of section 100(1)(b), but it recognises that in the complex arrangement of constitutionalism where you have concurrent competencies there are going to be tensions, and these need to be addressed.
I am happy that the MEC for education and Training in the Eastern Cape is here. He will indicate to you that each and every one of the recommendations of the team of Deputy Ministers was accepted and endorsed, and is being implemented.
It is intolerable that textbooks are not being delivered to the people. I am not going to say that Limpopo is right in doing so. We have intervened because they have failed to do so. We have intervened because we have not been satisfied that the books that are being procured address and respond to the needs of those learners. Today we can say that R284 million has been set aside, that the books have been procured from the publishers, and that within the next 30 days they are going to be delivered. That is the reality. If we had proceeded ... [Interjections.]