Chairperson, hon Ministers, MECs and members, all protocol observed, South Africa's education system has made a lot of progress in prioritising programmes and policies in accordance with the transformation agenda of the ANC.
Since the 1994 democratic breakthrough, significant legislation and policies have been implemented to promote access to education in line with the Freedom Charter. These achievements follow the Freedom Charter's guiding clause, which states that the doors of learning and culture shall be opened. This clause has been an inspiration during student-life struggles, classroom politics and the yearning for a better education system.
The adoption of the democratic Constitution had a major impact on the area of education and training, quite likely entrenching the human rights doctrine. Subsection 1 of section 29 of the Constitution states that everyone has the right to basic education, including adult education. This section also states that everyone has the right "to further education, which the state, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible".
Furthermore, a provision of this section states that in order to ensure the implementation of these rights, the state should take equity into account and redress the legacy of apartheid. This provision recognises that the right to access quality education might not be enjoyed by children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly if certain sections of society seek to treat education as a commodity whereas this section places education as one of the basic needs. However, socioeconomic inequalities seem to place constraints on this right, which is enshrined in the Constitution.
The education policy debate should be located within the social structure and practice in various institutions such as schools, the family, the community, the Department of Basic Education, the business sector and organisations or bodies. It is at the community level that the position of schools can be understood and advanced in society. This relates to an education alliance that includes community involvement in transporting the learners, the role of women's co-operatives in producing school uniforms, the empowerment of the community, and the strengthening of local education and training units, which include teachers and learners. There is a need to strengthen management capacity to ensure working districts and schools. This entails bringing in management capacity from the private sector, civil society and elsewhere in the public sector.
There is a need to develop a social compact for quality education. This will include a national consultative forum dedicated to clarifying the non- negotiables and performance targets to key stakeholders, and the monitoring thereof.
The mobilisation of communities at all levels should be encouraged to raise awareness of and participation in education issues. Examples include graduates assisting their former schools; corporate social investment; ANC branch campaigns to clean up schools and support food gardens; and encouragement of young graduates to enter teaching. As was said, "Teach South Africa".
Schools can be useful resources for the surrounding communities. This relates to the possible sharing of resources, sports facilities and joint events. This partnership between schools and local community structures will build trust and a sense of ownership. Furthermore, it will eventually prevent school vandalism, violence and crime.
The following issues also need to be looked into in the context of community activism. One of the issues relates to the issue of no-fee schools, which has been a bone of contention. The way in which it is applied is not satisfactory in certain areas. Other concerns relate to other issues like the issue of teacher training; the renewal of powers of school governing bodies, which is crucial; discrimination against children on language grounds; and the issue of the education of the girl-child.
We also need to seriously look into the issue of combining the idea of nutrition with a basic health service in schools. Part of the problem is too much focus on the nutrition side without looking at the effects of ill health. Certain diseases can be taken care of quite easily with the right medical attention.
The issue of HIV and Aids in schools is one of the major challenges to all South African schools. In this regard the Constitution guarantees the right not to be unfairly discriminated against, the right to life and bodily integrity, the right to privacy, and the right to a safe environment in the best interests of the child.
There is a need to strengthen awareness, skills, values and attitudes in order for educators and learners to uphold the behaviour that will protect them from infection and to support the infected and affected.
Parts of the awareness programmes to be strengthened include HIV and Aids testing, admission and/or appointment of educators, the right to attend any school and the prevention of HIV and Aids transmission during play and sport.
The ANC election manifesto seeks to reduce the rate of new HIV infections by 50% through vigorous prevention campaigns. There is a commitment to accelerate health care for millions in schools. In order for this goal to be met and sustained, resources are required.
Azikho ke izixhobo ezikolweni zethu, Mphathiswa obekekileyo. Izikolo ezininzi zabantu abamnyama azinazo izixhobo ezaneleyo zokulwa ezi zifo. Mhlawumbi singatsho ukuba sibethwe lixesha esisuka kulo, ixesha localu- calulo. Kodwa ke, loo nto ayithethi ukuba asinakho ukwenza nto. Sasiqhele iziko elivuthayo localu-calulo, saloyisa. Asinakho ukoyiswa leli iziko. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[There are no resources in our schools, hon Minister. Many African schools do not have enough resources to fight these diseases. We might put the blame on our past, the apartheid regime. But that does not mean something cannot be done. We were used to the hostile environment of the apartheid regime, which we defeated. We cannot be defeated by this environment.]
With regard to the rural farm schools and transport infrastructure ...
... luthutho lwabantwana olungenzeki ngendlela eyiyo nolusidla kakhulu phaya ezilalini olu sithetha ngalo. Kodwa loo nto ayithethi ukuba asinakuba nabo abantwana abapasayo esikolweni. Sinawo umzekelo obonakala kakuhle eFreyistata. IFreyistata ineefama kodwa ikwazile ukwenza u-100% wezinga lokupasa kulo nyaka uphelileyo, u-2009 lo sisuka kuye. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[... we are talking about the transportation of schoolchildren in the villages, which is not functioning well. However, that does not mean we cannot have learners who are doing well at school. We have a good example in the Free State. The Free State is a farming province but it managed to achieve a 100% pass rate last year.]
The ANC election manifesto argues that by 2014 all schools should have basic infrastructure such as water and electricity because this can have an impact on education outcomes. It is possible to meet this challenge through the comprehensive rural development strategy to ensure that rural development is linked to the education system to promote an integrated system. Xa singasebenzisana singenza lukhulu. [Working together we can do more.]
Government should strengthen the transport system to ensure an effective and developed infrastructure. Farm schools and village schools could benefit from a comprehensive rural development strategy that attracts and retains skilful teachers, as revealed by the joint media statement of the teachers' unions. Discipline, professionalism and efficiency need to be encouraged in schools.
With regard to the state of the school governing bodies, SGBs, the SA Schools Act, Sasa, prescribes different but interlocking roles for school governing bodies and school management teams, SMTs, in the interests of the school. However, there have been tensions between school governing bodies and school management teams, due to perceived role overlaps in implementation of Sasa provisions.
Enhancing the culture of learning and teaching requires several interventions ranging from the provision of infrastructure to learner and teacher programmes to create safety at schools. Section 8 of the SA Schools Act of 1996 compels the governing body of a school to adopt a code of conduct for learners. In support of teachers, the department released examples of codes of conduct to schools and provided training and further guidance on alternative forms of discipline.
There is a need to strengthen the regulations for safety measures that focus on the safety of learners within school premises, particularly at public schools. Such measures also accommodate school tours and sporting activities.
The regulations will, among other things, ensure the following. Firstly, public schools must take reasonable measures to ensure that the safety of learners during tours and sporting activities includes insurance against accidents. Secondly, learners and educators who lead a school tour are not allowed to carry drugs, alcohol or weapons.
The ANC's national executive committee, NEC, January 8 Statement addresses the various state of the province addresses and demonstrates continued commitment to addressing some systematic challenges and the need to strengthen partnerships between schools and local communities. The 2009 matric results have confirmed these systematic challenges. In the area of the community, education partnership ... [Time expired.]