HIV & AIDS (Life Skills Education) Grant 3rd quarter 2010: Limpopo Education Department briefing

Meeting report

Life Skills and HIV/AIDS Conditional grant performance: Limpopo provincial Department of Education: 3^rd quarter 2010 expenditure
The Limpopo Provincial Department of Education (the Department) had been asked to return to the Committee to give a further presentation on the expenditure on the Life Skill and HIV/AIDS Conditional Grant, in the Third Quarter of 2010, since the Committee had not been satisfied with the previous report that the Department had presented.

The presentation was given by Mr Legodi Boshielo, Head of Department, Limpopo Provincial Department of Education, and Professor Molefi Ralenala, Chief Director, Limpopo Provincial Department of Education.

The presenters noted that although the grant performance was in line with the targets set in the business plan, a forensic audit was currently being performed in relation to the spending, as a result of allegations around wasteful expenditure and misappropriation of funds. Although it was not known exactly how much was involved, the presenters said that it was likely to run into “millions of rands”.

The Chairperson requested the Department to immediately inform the Committee when the result of the audit became available.

The Department then outlined figures for the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the Limpopo province. The Greater Sekhukhune District showed a decline in HIV prevalence, taken from ante-natal statistics, in women aged between 15 and 49 years of age, from 21,8% in 2008, to 16,6% in 2009. However, in all other districts it appeared that HIV infection rates had increased. Overall, the provincial prevalence showed an increase of 0,07%,  to 21,4%, during the same period. This indicated that the Life Skills and HIV/AIDS education programme needed to be accelerated in schools, and in the broader community, to help with the reduction of infections. There were currently 4 015 schools and 749 Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) centres across the five education districts of the province. The education programme targeted learners, educators, support staff and the community at large. A further table showed exactly where the schools were to be found (see attached presentation for details).

The Department ran this programme through its Curriculum Services Branch. The Programme was managed by three coordinators. Although there were no permanent staff at district level, 20 posts had been advertised, at Senior Education Specialist level, to implement the programme, with four staff being based in each district.

The presenters outlined the purpose of the grant, saying that it was intended to provide education and training for School Management Teams, learners, educators and school support staff, to develop, implement and manage Life Skills Education in line with the National Strategic Plan and policies on HIV and AIDS, the National Curriculum Statement, and the drugs and substance abuse and gender policies. It was intended that learners, by being empowered with knowledge, would in future prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS and thereby contribute to its eventual eradication.

There were six key performance areas, which were advocacy, training and development, peer education, care and support, Learner teacher Support Material (LTSM), and administration, management and monitoring, with support and evaluation. The Department intended to lobby for more support from stakeholders by conducting workshops and meetings throughout the Province. Stakeholders would include principals, school governing bodies, traditional leaders and healers, parents and others.

Advocacy intended to promote schools participation, to promote schools as places or care and support, and to highlight rights, responsibilities and needs of children and adults living with HIV and AIDS, whilst also re-enforcing the national strategy on abstinence and prevention and, in particular, to highlight the roles of men and boys in fighting the spread of HIV. The training and development area aimed to train “master trainers” who would in turn train educators on the implementation of the programme in the classroom and ensure that programmes and activities were integrated across the full curriculum. All educators, whether or not they were responsible for the teaching of Life Orientation, would be trained to enable them to cascade information down. School management teams and schools governing bodies would also be trained on the smooth running of the programme in schools, and giving of support. Peer education would ensure that learners had the same knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to their own sexuality, and various methods would be used to open dialogue. In the area of care and support, a comprehensive model of care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) would be drawn, in a sample of schools, backed by policy guidelines, community mobilisation and dedicated youth care workers. Educators would also be trained in lay counseling skills, to support both infected and affected learners. They would also be given basic First Aid training. The OVC database would be updated periodically and a co-ordinating committee would bring together government and non-government roleplayers. Nutrition and food security projects would be implemented at schools, in partnership with government and NGOs. Referral networks would be set up in all districts. In the area of LTSM, appropriate materials would be distributed to all schools and resource centres.

The Department outlined its aim to manage the programme effectively and give support, setting out how it would be monitored (see attached presentation for full details). The Provincial coordinators  would give constant support to the districts coordinators and master trainers through visits, meetings and workshops, and may also visit schools. There would be monthly, quarterly and annual reporting on the progress of the programme and its financial management.

The Department presented tables on the distribution, across the districts, of learners, educators and community members, and the breakdown of the targets. (see attached presentation)

The presenters noted that in 2010/11, an amount of R28 322 000 was allocated. Each key performance area received a certain allocation, guided by the Division of Revenue Act Guidelines. Service delivery performance had been analysed and was tabled to Members. The quarterly expenditure was also summarised. In the third quarter, an amount of R7 080 500 was allocated, and the spending was R7 772 000, a difference of R691 000. The specific challenges relating to this programme in this quarter related to understaffing, which would be addressed by appointment of additional staff. Another challenge related to the as addressed above, incorrect posting of salaries

 
Specific challenges relating to the programme in the third quarter related to understaffing, and additional staff would be appointed to address this. Although there had been incorrect posting of salaries, this too was being rectified. The need to catch up on the curriculum, and prepare for examinations, meant that less time was devoted to Life Skills programmes. Other challenges included changes in the Learner Teacher Support Material (LTSM) procurement policies and procedures. However, these were being addressed.

Discussion
Mr C De Beer (ANC, Northern Cape) asked when the twenty further Senior Education Specialist posts had been filled. He also wanted to know how twenty of these officials could cover 200 schools.

Mr Boshielo answered that the posts were filled in December 2010. He agreed that these officials had a heavy workload. The Department, however, had found a solution through a partnership agreement with the South African Council of Churches (SACC). The infrastructure of the SACC in local communities was very helpful in the roll-out of the HIV programme, and the Department was training local SACC members to assist with the interventions.

Mr R Lees (DA, KwaZulu Natal) asked why a “new bureaucracy” was being created by employing SACC members in the programme. He thought that this might be a deviation from the original key objectives of the programme.

Mr Boshielo answered that the involvement of the SACC helped in the advocacy thrust of the programme. It also meant that the programme could also be rolled out over weekends and in more localities. The SACC’s involvement was not full time, but in accordance with the business plan, which could  be provided to the Committee.

Mr S Montshitsi (ANC, Gauteng) pointed to the fact that the HIV infection rate in the Sekhukhune District ha declined (as opposed to most other regions), and wanted to know whether scientific research had shed any light upon why this had occurred. He also noted that the spread of HIV seemed to have stabilised in the Vhembe District.

Mr Boshielo replied that although these districts included many poor areas, the mines, especially in he Sekhukhune District, were apparently implementing very thorough HIV programmes. He agreed that expert research was required in order to measure the impact of various factors and role players in bringing down the HIV infection rate.

Mr Lees requested more information about the apparent corruption that had taken place.

Mr Boshielo acknowledged that flaws existed in the Department’s purchasing and distribution of materials for the programme, and that a forensic audit was underway at present. He said that it appeared that some Departmental officials may have added in some zeroes to the amounts for ordering of materials.

Mr M Makhubela (COPE, Limpopo) asked a question about the efficiency of the planning activities of the Department.

Mr Boshielo replied that it would be necessary to have more vigorous risk assessments during planning. He could not provide much more detail about the seemingly corrupt activities as yet.

The Chairperson asked the Department, formally, to report on the outcome of the forensic audit. He emphasised that government expenditure was strictly monitored by National Treasury.

Adoption of Minutes
The Minutes of the previous Committee meeting were unanimously adopted by the Committee.

Adoption of Committee Reports
The Committee unanimously adopted the Committee’s Report on the Third Quarter Spending on the Devolution of Property Rate Funds Grant.

The Committee also unanimously adopted its Report on the Third Quarter Spending on Community Library Services Grant.

Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Education
The Chairperson noted that the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Education was also asked to report to the Committee at this meeting, but was not present. He would liaise with the MEC for Education in the Eastern Cape to determine the reasons for this, and to request that this Department would in future adhere strictly to the requirements of Parliament and government procedures.

The meeting was adjourned.