Question NW645 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training
28 March 2018 - NW645
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training
Has her department planned for the additional capacity required in order to manage the significantly increased budgets for the maintenance and/or upgrading of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges in the 2018-19 financial year; if not, (a) what needs to be done in order to ensure effective administration of these funds and (b) has she found that the funds allocated for maintenance of TVET colleges will be spent in this period; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
a) In terms of the new Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant, the Department is currently engaging National Treasury for a possible budget adjustment during the 2018/19 Adjusted Estimates of National Expenditure dedicated for infrastructure monitoring and expenditure evaluation purposes. The Department is also exploring the possibility of creating additional capacity at TVET college level utilising dedicated Clerks to report on the utilisation of the Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant to the Department.
b) The Department is currently collecting data from TVET colleges with regards to essential and bulk services to inform the allocation of the Infrastructure and Efficiency Grant to colleges based on the need identified for critical repairs and maintenance. This process is expected to be completed in June 2018. Taking into account that TVET colleges will be required to follow their supply chain management processes, there is the possibility that the full R1.3 billion will not be fully utilised by 31 March 2019. These funds will however be ring-fenced at TVET colleges and regulated by the Department through specific terms and conditions issued. Thus, any unspent allocations from the 2018/19 financial year will be rolled over to 2019/20, as it is critical that value for money is obtained and to prevent fruitless or unnecessary expenditure.