Higher Education Amendment Bill: voting; ISO 9000 Management System; Committee Report: Schools in the Northern Province

Basic Education

26 September 2000
Share this page:

Meeting Summary

A summary of this committee meeting is not yet available.

Meeting report

EDUCATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
26 September 2000
HIGHER EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL: VOTING; ISO 9000 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE REPORT: SCHOOLS IN THE NORTHERN PROVINCE


Documents handed out:
Proposed amendments to Higher Education Amendment Bill [see Appendix 1]
SABS Presentation - text outline only [ see Appendix 2]
Committee Report on Northern Province

SUMMARY
The Higher Education Amendment Bill was voted on and adopted with amendments with the Democratic Alliance (Democratic Party and the New National Party) and the Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging voting against the Bill.

The South African Bureau of Standards made a presentation on the ISO 9000 Quality Management System, highlighting how the system could alleviate the problems currently facing the education sector. SABS has engaged with the national education department on this. It is assumed that a pilot project will now follow and donor funding will be used to meet the costs.

Due to time constraints, the committee report on problems in education facing the Northern Province was not dealt with. The report arises from their tour of Northern Province schools from 2 to 5 may 2000. The Chair did however state that the matter was of urgency and the Committee would have to schedule a meeting to discuss this report.

MINUTES
Higher Education Amendment Bill

The Chair, Prof Mayatula, suggested to the committee that they initially vote on the Bill clause by clause and thereafter on the Bill as a whole. The committee agreed.

Long Title
The Democratic Alliance (NNP, DP) stated that if the long title is as it appears in the proposed amendments, they would vote against it. The Chair said that it stays as amended.
Democratic Alliance: Against
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Abstain
The rest of the parties voted in favour of it.

Clause 1
Democratic Alliance: Against
The rest of the parties were in favour of it.

Clause 2
The clause was voted on inclusive of the amendment.
Democratic Alliance: Against
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Against
PAC: Abstain
The rest of the parties were in favour of the Bill.

Clause 3
All the parties voted in favour of it

Clause 4
The clause was voted on inclusive of amendments.
Democratic Alliance: Against
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Against
The rest of the parties were in favour of it.

Clauses 5 and 6
The parties were all in favour of it.

Clause 7
Democratic Alliance: Against
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Against
The rest of the parties were in favour of it.

Clause 8
Democratic Alliance: Against
The rest of the parties were all in favour of it.

Clause 9
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Against
The rest of the parties were in favour of it.

Clause 10
All the parties voted in favour of it

Clause 11
This is a new clause that was introduced in the amendments
All the parties were in favour of it.

Clause 12
The old Clause11 became the new Clause 12.
The parties were all in favour of it.

Short Title
The parties were all in favour of it.

The committee then proceeded to vote on the Bill as a whole:
Democratic Alliance: Against
Afrikaner Eenheidsbeweging: Against
The rest of the parties voted in favour of the Bill. The Bill was adopted and the Chair signed it.

ISO 9000 Quality Management System
Mr Yats Gopaul and Dr Randal Carollisen of SABS presented a briefing on this with the aim to inform the committee on the effectiveness of the system.

Mr Gopaul informed the committee that it was a management tool designed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of an organisation in its delivery of service/product in the most cost-effective way.

He identified some key problem areas in educational institutions in South Africa:
· Uncertainty of school governance responsibilities
· Lack of experience of governing bodies
· Communication problems
· Difficulties to introduce cultures of change in learning and teaching
The ISO 9000 System deals with the above problems. The benefits and cost effectiveness of the system was outlined (see document for detail).

Discussion
A member of the ANC asked whether this system has been introduced in a developing country and if it has been successful.
Dr Carollisen stated that as yet it has not been introduced in a developing country. It is being used in Thailand, if Thailand can be considered to be a developing country. Mr Gopaul added that it has been successfully used in industry in South Africa. The international trend has been that if it is successful in industry, it can be successfully introduced in the service sector as well.

Adv Gaum (NNP) asked how it would be implemented.
Mr Gopaul stated that it would be implemented using a detailed business plan.

Mr Kgwele (ANC) asked how the system would deal with the problem of disparities in equality in education. He also asked how they intend to forge partnerships with schools.
Mr Gopaul stated that audits would be conducted and funds would be re-allocated. School governing bodies do not even know how to run meetings. Therefore he emphasised that they would be working closely with schools when implementing the system.

Ms Njobe (ANC) asked if a survey had been done on whether South African schools are ready for such a system. She felt that education in South Africa still has very basic needs.
Mr Gopaul was insistent that the system would be beneficial to South Africa. He stated that mindsets need to be changed. The system would allow for the better application of meagre resources. In essence the school's resources would be better managed.

Ms Benjamin (ANC) asked why they wanted the system to be introduced in the education sector and not other public sectors.
Dr Carollisen stated that they do want the system to be implemented in other sectors as well. It can be applied in all sectors, even Parliament.

Mr Mogoba (ANC) stated that the system looks promising and starting a pilot project seems to be the next step.
Dr Carollisen stated that their aim is to get a pilot project going.

Mr Kgwele asked how they intend funding the project, considering South Africa's funding constraints. He asked whether donor funding was an option.
Dr Carolissen stated that donor funding seems to be the logical solution. He felt that the government would not have a problem finding donors.

The Chair asked if they intend taking the system to the provinces.
Dr Carollisen stated that they have thus far only been engaged with national education.
At present they are only trying to create a general awareness of the system. They want an acceptance of the system and then they would deal with problems that might arise. He stated that eventually they do want to target the provinces.

Northern Province Report
The committee watched a video illustrating the dire state of affairs of education in the Northern Province. The video particularly highlighted the dilapidated physical state of the schools.

The Chair stated that due to time constraints the committee would be unable to deal with the contents of the committee report on their tour of Northern Province schools (2-5 May 2000). He added that this issue is one of urgency and that the committee would have to get together to discuss it. Mr Moonsamy (ANC) reiterated the Chair's sentiments.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix 1:
HIGHER EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL [B55-2000]

CLAUSE 2

On page 4, in line 20, after "operations" to omit ", including the size and institutional configuration,"

CLAUSE 4
On page 4, in line 49, to omit "full"
On page 5, in line 6, to omit "full"

NEW CLAUSE
That the following be a new Clause to follow Clause 10
"Amendment of section 68 of Act 101 of 1997

11
Section 68 of the principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (2) for the following subsection:

"(2) The council of a public higher education institution may, on such conditions as it may determine, delegate any of its powers under this Act or delegate any of its powers under this Act or delegated to it in terms of subsection (1), except the [power] powers to make-
(a) an institutional statute;
(b) the agreement contemplated in section 40(2);
(c)
the action contemplated in section 40(3),
and assign any of its duties in terms of this Act or assigned to it in terms of subsection (1), to the other internal structures, the principal or any other employee of the public higher education institution concerned."

LONG TITLE
On page 2, in the sixth line, to omit "full".

Appendix 2:
SOUTH AFRICAN BUREAU OF STANDARDS

AIM
Provide an appreciation of the effectiveness of ISO 9000 Quality Management Systemsi in education
Perceived problem areas in education institutions
· Uncertaintity on school governance responsibilities
· Lack of experience of governing body
· Communication problems
· Unavailability of personnel, as a result delivery is too long and sometimes inefficient
· Difficulty of introducing the " culture " of change in learning and teaching

What is ISO9000?
A management system designed and formulated by International Organization of Standardization, comprising of academics , industrialists, standards bodies and accreditation bodies. It has been designed to be used as a management tool to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization in its delivery of service / product in the most cost effective way.

OBJECTIVES OF ISO 9000
· To give recognition to companies that have properly designed, planned, established, maintained and implemented quality systems that meet the requirements of SABS ISO 9000 series of standards.
Requirements of the iso 9000 qms ?
Management responsibilities
Work environment
Product realization
Purchasing
Inspection and testing
Corrective and preventive actions
How is it achieved ?
Management responsibility
Ensuring availability of recources
Setting targets , policies , objectives
Establishing effective means of communication
H.R. development
Appointment of a custodian of the system from within own management
Plan on how to achieve the objectives
Recording , documenting and controlling all of these
Internal quality audits
Management reviews ( inputs and outputs )

WORK ENVIROMENT
Provision of proper environment to meet delivery requirements
Legal and regulatory issues
Able to measure

PRODUCT REALISATION
Process control
Identification of customer requirements
Product specs
Legal and regulatory requirements
Review of products
Design and development
Customer feedback

PURCHASING
Methods
Approved suppliers
Method of reducing risk
Method of verifying purchased product

INSPECTION AND TESTING
Methods employed
Inputs
Outputs
How is non - conformance dealt with

CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTIONS
Methods of measure
Process of initiating preventive measures
Methods to measure these

HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED?
The following must be addressed
- how is it done?
- who is responsible ?
- what exactly must be done ?
- when is it done ?
- what records , documents are generated and how is it maintained?

BENEFITS
Reduction of paperwork
Cost effectiveness
Counter-productive measures will easily be identified and eradicated
International recognition and hence international funding
Improved service and hence community satisfaction
Improved internal communications and hence relations
Cultivation of culture of quality
Improved management efficiency
Decrease in failure
Proper utilization of resources

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY
Ensuring availability of recources
Setting targets , policies , objectives
Establishing effective means of communication
H.R. development
Appointment of a custodian of the system from within own management
Plan on how to achieve the objectives
Recording , documenting and controlling all of these
Internal quality audits
Management reviews ( inputs and outputs )

WORK ENVIROMENT
Provision of proper environment to meet delivery requirements
Legal and regulatory issues
Able to measure

HOW IS THIS ACHIEVED?
The following must be addressed?
- how is it done?
- who is responsible ?
- what exactly must be done ?
- when is it done ?
- what records , documents are generated and how is it maintained?

BENEFITS
Current system of paperwork will be drastically reduced
All functions will be executed in a cost effective way
Counter-productive measures will easily be identified and the means to eradicate it is in place
International recognition and hence international funding
Through international recognition comes increased tourism because ISO 9000 is a symbol of stability on the European Continent
Improved service and hence community satisfaction
Improved internal communications and hence relations
Cultivation of culture of quality
Improved management efficiency
Decrease in failure
Proper utilization of recources

THE ROLE OF THE SABS
Assist dept with initial stages of system implementation
Draw up a program to meet objectives
Externally audit system and certify
Conduct surveillance audits
Be your partner in the provision of quality education in South Africa

COSTS
Depends on no. of employees and size of institute
Negotiable with the SABS
International funding
Local business

Dr. Randall Carollisen, Yats Gopaul

 

Audio

No related

Documents

No related documents

Present

  • We don't have attendance info for this committee meeting

Download as PDF

You can download this page as a PDF using your browser's print functionality. Click on the "Print" button below and select the "PDF" option under destinations/printers.

See detailed instructions for your browser here.

Share this page: