Committee Report on Budget Vote 15: Department of Basic Education, Report on public hearings concerning “Access and Delivery of Quality Education”

Meeting report

Opening Remarks
The Chairperson welcomed Members and highlighted the agenda for the day. The Committee would consider two reports as well as outstanding minutes for adoption. It was important that the Committee did not delay the adoption of the Quality and Access report which had been in the process of being reviewed by Members since the previous year.

Mr Llewellyn Brown, Committee Secretary, announced apologies from Mr J Skosana (ANC) and Ms C Dudley (ACDP) who were unable to attend the meeting due to other commitments.

The Chairperson said that Mr W James (DA) had submitted a report which indicated the need for the DA national caucus to review the Budget report and the report on Public Hearings on Access to Quality Education; and punctuation errors in the Minutes of 22 March 2011.

Draft report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Budget Vote 15: Basic Education, 12 April 2011
The Chairperson took Members through the report page-by-page and asked if Members had any suggestions for corrections.

The only correction in the report was made by the Chairperson, who indicated that on page 8, under National School Nutrition Programme (NSNC) - Noteworthy Achievements - the budget of R3.7 million should be R3.7 billion.

Mr James recommended that the small editing errors could be resolved outside of the meeting. He offered his services in this regard.

The Chairperson thanked Mr James for his offer.

After reviewing the report, the Chairperson asked for a mover for endorsement of the Budget report.

Mr James moved to endorse the report and was seconded by Ms F Mushwana (ANC).

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on public hearings concerning Access and Delivery of Quality Education
Mr James asked where Annexure 1, on page 1, could be found. The Chairperson asked the Content Advisor to respond to this question.

Mr Dennis Bandi, Content Advisor: Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, replied that Annexure 1 was on record and would be made available to Members.

After a review of the report, the Chairperson asked for a mover for endorsement of the report.

Ms A Mashishi (ANC) moved and Mr K Dikgobo (Alt)(AZAPO) seconded the move to endorse the report.

Mr James added that he assumed that the reference on the last page would be completed in full and that the Committee would endorse the report with the understanding that it would be completed.

The Chairperson replied that it would be corrected.

Mr James then commented that under the previous Chairperson's guidance, some of the content in the report had advanced and was already in practice by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and therefore was not relevant for the attention of DBE. He suggested that submission of the report to the DBE should be accompanied by a strong executive summary distinguishing what had already been taken up; the progress in that regard; and what was still vital to be done.

Mr Z Makhubela (ANC) agreed that a summary would be useful to keep track of core issues and when each institute or agency of DBE would report back to the Committee on what had been done.

Ms Mushwana added that on page 22, no time frame was in place.

The Chairperson said the four assistants to the Chairperson of the Committee would follow up on written replies from DBE, which had a time line of seven days from the time of adoption of the report, possibly starting the following day.

Draft Minutes of Proceedings: Tuesday, 22 March 2011
(i) Budget Review:  Umalusi
(ii)  Consideration and possible adoption of: Draft Report on Quality and Access to Education and Draft Minutes (8 & 15 March 2011)
The Chairperson acknowledged that on page 1, Mr Dikgobo had indeed submitted apologies; Mr Makhubela's name had appeared twice under apologies; and Mr A Mpontshane (IFP) should be listed as ‘Hon’ A Mpontshane.

After review of the Minutes, the Chairperson asked for a mover for adoption of the Minutes.

Mr Monpontshana moved and Mr C Moni (ANC) seconded the move to adopt the Minutes.

Draft Minutes of Proceedings: Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Budget Review: Department of Basic Education
The Chairperson lightheartedly commented that if not the whip, her name should be listed first under Members present.

After review of the Minutes, the Chairperson asked for a mover for adoption of the Minutes.

 Mr James moved and Mr Makhubele seconded the move to adopt the Minutes.

Draft Minutes of Proceedings: Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Budget Review: Department of Basic Education
The Chairperson said that on page 3, the budget error of R 3.7 million would be corrected to R3.7 billion under the noteworthy achievements of the NSNC.

After review of the Minutes, Ms Mushwana moved and Makhubele seconded the move to adopt the Minutes.

Draft Minutes of Proceedings: Thursday, 31 March 2011
Budget Review: South African Council for Educators (SACE) and Education Labour Relations Councils (ELRC)
After review of the Minutes, Mr Makhubela moved and was seconded by Mr Moni for adoption of the Minutes.

Closing Remarks
The Chairperson announced that the debate on the Department’s budget vote would take the following day in room E249. She hoped all Members would be well-prepared for what she believed would be a very interesting debate. The Committee Secretary would confirm within 24 hours the approval and travel arrangements for the meeting with DBE in Pretoria on 18 April 2011.

The meeting was adjourned.