Committee 2006 Annual Report & 2007 Programme

EDUCATION PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
13 March 2007
COMMITTEE 2006 ANNUAL REPORT & 2007 PROGRAMME

Chairperson : Prof S Mayatula (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Draft 2006 Committee Annual Report [available at Tabled Committee Reports once adopted]
Draft 2007 Committee Programme

SUMMARY
The adoption of the report on the Committee’s study tour to Mauritius was postponed. The Committee Programme for 2007 and its 2006 Annual Report were considered and adopted. A delegation of Members were chosen for the study tour to China in July and August. The Committee will be dealing with the Education Laws Amendment Bill in September 2007, and Members were requested to not comment on the Bill before it reached Parliament. Minutes of previous meetings were considered and adopted.

MINUTES
Committee Report on study tour to Mauritius
The Chair proposed that the Committee Report on its study tour to Mauritius be adopted on 27 March, which Members agreed to. Members also agreed to the Chair’s suggestion that they email their proposed changes to the Committee Secretary.

Draft Committee Programme
The Committee considered the programme of meetings for the remainder of the year.

Mr A Gaum (ANC) proposed that an organisation involved in ICT in Further Education and Training (FET) in the province had requested an invitation to present to the Committee. The organisation alleged that there was no clearly defined ICT strategy within the Western Cape Education Department and advocated an ‘ICT clearing house’.

The Committee agreed that the programme managers should be tasked with scheduling this organisation to present on a Friday.

The Chair noted that the Committee had adopted its programme.

Committee 2006 Annual Report
The Committee adopted its Annual Report, without amendments.

Study tour to China
The Committee selected ANC members for a study tour to China. The three opposition parties would forward their representatives at a later date. The tour was extended to 27 July - 12 August 2007.

Oversight visits to Northwest province
The Chair proposed that only FET colleges and their satellites be visited during the August oversight visits to the Northwest province. This was agreed.

Other Committee business
The Chair informed Members that the month of September was devoted to the Education Laws Amendment Bill. The Chair reminded the meeting that no party or individual should comment on the Bill to the media until it had gone to Parliament.

The Members of the opposition parties who were present did not comment on this reminder.

Adoption of minutes
The Committee also endorsed minutes of previous meetings.

The meeting was adjourned.