Question NW3415 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
27 October 2022 - NW3415
Tambo, Mr S to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
Whether, considering that the procurement practices in recent times have been a hindrance to infrastructure development in the higher education sector, with corruption and lack of services being rendered for payments made characterising procurement processes, his department has any policy in place to streamline and/or centralise procurement at public institutions of higher learning; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Department of Higher Education and Training (the Department) centralised procurement of infrastructure for 16 TVET colleges. Nine colleges have since been finalised, three are an 85% to 99% completion rate and four below an 85% completion threshold. The Department continues to engage TVET colleges on the monitoring of their infrastructure delivery.
The centralisation of infrastructure at universities is limited by the autonomous nature of university councils. However, the Department has set in place monitoring mechanisms to trace the procurement, delivery and expenditure on projects in order to improve the coordination and delivery of infrastructure across all institutions the Department has:
- Appointed a Chief Director: Infrastructure to facilitate streamlining of infrastructure delivery; and
- Appointed Implementing Agents to accelerate the infrastructure procurement processes, as well as project management of infrastructure.
The Implementing Agents will also assist with capacity building at institutions where challenges of delivery have been experienced. The Department is currently in the process of following the guidelines as outlined in the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) and the Framework for Infrastructure Delivery and Procurement Management (FIDPM). It is also in the process of developing a portfolio and programme plans. Priority projects have been identified and included in the draft plans.