Question NW1263 to the Minister of Basic Education
20 June 2016 - NW1263
Balindlela, Ms ZB to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)With reference to the Concept Document on the Introduction of the Three Stream Model in the Basic Education Sector dated 11 April 2016, which refers to a target of 60% learners having access to vocational education, (a) how will this be split between (i) technical vocational and (ii) technical occupational and (b) on what basis was this target determined; (2) how much will it cost to equip 14 592 schools with workshops and trained teachers or artisans to implement the specified curriculum by 2030; (3) (a) will the (i) technical vocational and (ii) technical occupational streams be made available to (aa) learners with disabilities and (bb) learners without disabilities and (b) at what age will provision be made for learners to enter these streams in each case; (4) with reference to the statement in the specified document of amendments that will be required to be made to the South African Schools Act, Act 84 of 1996, as amended and the Admissions Policy to allow for learners to obtain workplace skills experience in business and industry, when is this draft legislation expected (a) to be finalised and (b) to come before the National Assembly in the form of a Bill?
Reply:
(1) (a) (i) and (ii) The split of the target of 60% learners between the technical vocational stream and the technical occupational stream has not yet be determined and will only be done after conducting of audits and rigorous financial planning.
(b) The target of 60% learners enrolled in technical vocational education is based on best international practice.
(2) The costing of the expansion of the number of schools that offer technical vocational and technical occupational programmes has not yet been determined given that the number of schools will be realised progressively over the coming years. The Department of Basic Education recognises that the cost of technical vocational education is high and that implementation will go hand in hand with a reengineering of the whole institutional landscape within the basic education sector. The number of targeted schools will be further refined once the audit of existing schools of skill has been completed and projections for expansion made, based on determination of exact resource requirements. The audit questionnaire is currently being finalised.
(3) (a) (i) and (ii) (aa) and (bb) Yes, both the Technical Vocational and the Technical Occupational stream will be made available to learners with and without disabilities
(b) Learners will be able to enter the technical vocational stream at the age of 15 and the technical occupational stream at the age of 14.
(4) (a) The draft Vocational Occupational qualification will only be finalised and the Learning Programmes piloted in 2017, for introduction in 2018. No amendments to legislation will be proposed before 2018 at the earliest.