Hansard: NA: Unrevised Hansard (EPC)

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 16 Jul 2019

Summary

No summary available.

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Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD

 

TUESDAY, 16 JULY 2019

 

PROCEEDINGS OF MINI-PLENARY SESSION - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAMBER

 

 

Members of the mini-plenary session met in the National Assembly Chamber at 16:41.

 

 

House Chairperson, Mr M L D Ntombela, took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.

 

 

APPROPRIATION BILL

 

Debate on Vote No 14 - Basic Education:

 

 

The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon Chairperson, let me acknowledge my Cabinet colleagues that are here, MECs from provinces that have joined us, hon members, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for opportunity of

 

 

the 2019-20 Debate on Vote 14 – Basic Education, which is delivered and debated in the context of what His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, said during the state of nation address last month, that:

 

 

As South Africa enters the next 25 years of democracy, and in pursuit of the objectives of the National Development Plan, we must proclaim a bold and ambitious goal – a unifying purpose, to which we dedicate our resources and energies. As we enter the last decade of the NDP Vision 2030, we must define the South Africa we want more clearly, and agree on the concrete actions we need to undertake as a nation.

 

 

As we are building the future – yes the ‘new dawn’ for South Africa - we do recommit to building a solid foundation for a quality and efficient basic education system, from early childhood development, ECD, to Further Education and Training Band; and to contribute to the seven cardinal principles of the sixth administration, especially in relation to consolidating development.

 

 

I must state upfront that Basic Education has progressed quite admirably over the past 25 years of our democratic dispensation. It is no mistake that His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, attributed the sector’s progress to a silent revolution. We however are the first to concede that our achievements are accompanied by stubborn systemic challenges that we continue to grapple with, and therefore wish to encourage the House to read our annual reports because we won’t be able to go through the processes of what the challenges are and what the achievements are.

 

 

I was heartened by the measures put forward by His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, in the June 2019 State of the Nation Address, to put the country back on track, as far as economic growth is concerned. This will ease the pressures on the education sector and create a better environment for educational improvement, which as we should all know, is a prerequisite for a healthy economy and society, and for our ongoing task of tackling the legacy of deep inequality in South Africa.

 

 

Let me upfront just highlight the following in relation to the Budget Vote 14 of Basic Education for the 2019 MTEF period. The overall 2019-20 MTEF budget allocation for the Department of Basic Education is R24,5 billion, which is an increase of 3,4% from the overall allocation which was made last year. The overall allocation for Conditional Grants, which is money that goes to provinces, is R18,646 billion, which is an increase of 4,9% from last year’s budget.

 

 

I also want to thank Treasury that this year, for the first time we are going to get an allocation of R59,5 million for the of 2019 MTEF period, through the general support allocation, for a new project planned called the Systemic Improvement of Language and Numeracy in the Foundation Phase. The first tranche of  R26,8 million will be available in the 2019-20 budget.

 

 

We are also grateful for an additional allocation of R60 million for another new project, funded through the general support allocation, called Technology for Grade 7-9. The first tranche of R20,5 million is available for this year. So, the overall allocation for 2019-20 earmarked for transfers, which will be

 

 

going to different agencies is payments is R2,8 billion, which is 3,7% up.

 

 

I also want to make an important note about the 2019-20 MTEF budget. For instance, the Department of Basic Education programmes, such as administration, teacher education, human resources and institutional development, curriculum support and monitoring and educational achievements are covered. I thought I should do this because half the time that we present budgets, people say we didn’t say anything about Aids.

 

 

I thought I should list all the programmes that are going to be covered by the budget. For instance, on Conditional Grants, which are going to go to the spending provinces, these include mathematical science, technology, infrastructure delivery, HIV and Aids, school nutrition and also a programme for learners with severe profound intellectual disabilities, for rural education and also for the two new projects that I have just mentioned.

 

 

There are also earmarked funds which include Umalusi, our collaboration with the National Education Collaboration Trust, Nect, SA Council for Educators, Sace, the Second Chance Programme workbooks, early grade reading as well as information and communication technologies.

 

 

At the outset, I must state that the 2019 ANC Election Manifesto enjoins us to prioritise education and skills development, as we work towards universalising access to early childhood development programmes, ECD programmes, and improving the quality of primary education. We are directed, as I say, by your Sustainable Development Goal Number 4, SDG4, your Unesco programme - the global education agenda - Education 2030, but also by the AU programmes. We have translated all these policy commitments into our education plan.

 

 

Through that, we have detailed or identified eleven strategic areas that we will be focusing on. Priority 1 is going to be improving the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, especially, “Reading with meaning”, straddling the ECD to the

 

 

end of the Intermediate Phase at Grade 6, which should be underpinned by what we want to have as a ‘reading revolution’.

 

 

At Priority 2 will be the immediate implementation of a curriculum with skills and competencies for a changing world; fourth industrial revolution – ICT roll-out; as well as the introduction of entrepreneurship, especially focus schools. At Priority 3 is collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Training to equip teachers with skills and knowledge to teach literacy and numeracy, in particular reading; and promote the status to teach learners’ skills and competencies for a changing world.

 

 

At Priority 4 there is dealing decisively with the quality and efficiency of the education system; and introducing multiple qualifications, such as the General Education Certificate – those my age will know that this is the old Form 3. We say we also want to begin to pilot an exit certificate before Grade 12.

 

 

Priority 5 seeks to eliminate the digital divide by ensuring that within six years, all schools and education offices have

 

 

access to internet and free data. Priority 6 is the urgent implementation of the two years of ECD programmes that we have been talking about. Priority 7 is on decolonisation of basic education, amongst others, and many other programmes through the teaching and promotion of African languages, South African and African history and national symbols to all learners up to Grade 12.

 

 

Priority 8 seeks co-operate with sister departments like the SA Police Service, the Departments of Health, Sport, Arts and Culture, to address issues about school safety, health and social cohesion – to make sure that indeed our schools become safe places for our learners and teachers.

 

 

Priority 9 seeks to integrate our infrastructure programme and Priority 10 is to increase the safety-net through pro-poor policies that we already have on ECD and Learners with Special Education Needs, LSEN. Priority 11 will be to strengthen partnership with all stakeholders, because indeed we believe that it takes a village to raise a child and education is a societal issue.

 

 

So, let me quickly speak to all the different priorities which I have mentioned on improving the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, especially “Reading with meaning”, straddling the ECD to end of the Intermediate Phase at Grade 6, which should be underpinned by a ‘reading revolution’.

 

 

I can report that we have made a lot of progress in giving our children access to schooling, and ensuring that more children go on to complete Matric and enter post-schooling opportunities.

But, we know that the only way we are going to see further improvements in these indicators, is by improving the learning foundations that children build in the early grades of primary schooling.

 

 

Although there are various factors affecting high school children that may trigger dropping out of school, the evidence shows that the root cause are poor and inadequate learning foundations. Therefore, we are working very hard with the Department of Social Development and other relevant departments to make sure that we can ramp up the system from the bottom through an emphasis on ECD and your Foundation Phase.

 

 

His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, has also set us a goal that, “Every child should learn to read with meaning by the age of ten”. The co-ordination of our reading intervention is currently being strengthened; and we are paying particular attention to the teaching of ‘reading with meaning’. Hence, we have a new allocation this term, which will enable us to implement this programme.

 

 

As the Department of Basic Education, we are implementing the Primary School Reading Improvement Programme, PSRIP, which has already yielded very positive results. Through this fund, we will be strengthening the work that we have done in this area.

 

 

We are collaborating with other partners outside the department to indeed make sure that as South Africans we can promote reading in our homes and in our communities.    We are entrenching the Read to Lead campaign with the National Reading Coalition, which we launched on 15 February 2019. We are also supplementing the technical work we are doing to support and improve instructions and learning through curriculum materials, instruction, and assessment.

 

 

We have done a lot of work will also be done to support the teaching and learning of mathematics in the early grades. It has been one of the areas where we have been continuously experiencing poor progress. Last year, we launched a new framework for teaching mathematics with understanding, which will help teachers to better implement the curriculum. We are currently piloting the implementation of this framework, and will be expanding it throughout the system.

 

 

We wish to report that the National Institute for Curriculum and Professional Development will be fully institutionalised within the 2019 MTSF period; thus strengthening teacher development in the Sector, and improving teachers’ capacity to teach reading in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases. We have strong links with the curriculum delivery to professional development of educators through this institute.

 

 

Immediately, we also are looking at ensuring that we make progress in the areas of Three-Stream Curriculum Model – namely academic, technical-vocational and technical-occupational streams. We are convinced that the roll-out of the Three-Stream

 

 

Curriculum Model was definitely a step in the right direction, which resulted already          2018 in the National Senior Certificate learners sitting for a cluster of three technologies, namely: The Civil Technology, comprising Civil Service, Construction, and Woodworking; the Mechanical Technology, comprising Automotive Fitting and Machining, Welding, and Metalwork; and Electrical Technology, comprising Electronics, Digital Systems, and Power Systems.       In addition, on the Class of 2018, new more subjects were written, namely Technical Mathematics, and Technical Science.

 

 

We know that and we have been part of international discussions, and this is confirmed by research study conducted by the Oxford University, which reveals that 45% of the current jobs, will disappear within the next 10 to 20 years; with a majority of the jobs or some of the functions being completely automated. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s, Unesco’s, estimation is even higher than Oxfords’ because they say that 65% of the current jobs will not exist in 15 to 20 years.

 

 

Therefore, the need for the basic education sector to refocus the curriculum towards a competence-based approach, integrating the 21st century skills and competencies across all subjects; and the introduction of new subjects and programmes that are responsive to the demands of the changing world, is inescapable.

 

 

We are working together with the Department of Higher Education and Training, and we have begun to explore the streamlining of the qualifications and possibilities of utilising the General Occupation Certificate, GOC, that has been developed by the Quality Council on Trade Occupations, GCTO.

 

 

We have also begun the process of transforming our curriculum by introducing new and existing skills-based subjects. The plan is to establish National Schools of Specialisation or Focus Schools incrementally throughout the country in the medium- to long- term, to offer the new and other skills-based subjects, which include amongst others aviation, maritime studies, engineering, hospitality and tourism, arts as well as mathematics and science.

 

 

We are incrementally establishing technical high schools and schools of skill, in line with the economic development zones, EDZs, The aim is to ultimately have at least one such school per circuit. As we enter the first year of the sixth administration, we can say with conviction that we have brought information and communication technologies, ICTs, and connectivity within the reach of our teachers and learners. We have digitised workbooks and also have digitised some of the textbooks for easy access.

 

 

We have developed the Grade R-3 Coding and Robotics curriculum; and the development of Grade 4-9 curriculum is at an advanced stage. We will be piloting this curriculum from January 2020 in Grade R-3 and Grade 7. [Applause.]

 

 

To expand broadband and connectivity to school for Learners with Special Education Need, we, in collaboration with the Department of Communications and the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa, ICASA, will provide 100 of the 453 special need schools with ICT infrastructure and connectivity. The ICT solution will be determined by the categories of the disabilities in each school.

 

 

We are empowered to analyse and interpret data effectively and accurately. We have been working on improving our SA School Management and Administration System, SA-Sams, and our Learner Unit Record Information Tracking System, Lurits, which provides information regarding learners. We are therefore ready to tackle the fourth industrial revolution head-on. [Applause.]

 

 

On dealing decisively with quality and efficiency the NDP says we should aim at world-class assessment system, involving, “Reliable measures of learning for every primary school”. We will conduct systemic evaluation at strategic grades by finalising preparations and technical standards for the administration of this standardised assessment, to enable national and provincial monitoring of learning outcomes. This assessment is currently being piloted in 2019 and its first cycle will be finalised not later than June 2020 for Grades 3, 6 and 9.

 

 

Chair I can see that I am under pressure for time. In order to eliminate the digital divide by ensuring that within six years all schools and education offices have access to internet and

 

 

free data, the basic education sector views access to quality Learning and Teaching Support Materials, LTSMs, as critical for meaningful classroom engagement and improvement in learner performance. Hence, the sector has worked extremely hard over the years to develop and digitise state-owned textbooks, workbooks and readers.

 

 

On decolonisation of basic education, amongst others, I have mentioned that we are working hard promote African languages, South African and African history and national symbols. The ministerial task team, MTT, on history which has been reappointed, has commenced the writing of a revised history curriculum, based on the report developed by the MTT and submitted to the Minister a year ago. We will be also going out to engage more South Africans around this subject because we think it is going to be important to have an ownership of that curriculum by engaging a number of people.

 

 

On teaching and promotion of African languages, indeed lots of work have taken place. Almost 80% of our schools were supposed to implement the teaching of African languages. We have already

 

 

done so. We are assisting the 20% which has met challenges in doing that. I thought I should raise that it is important to stress that the issue of language, is an emotive one. All South African languages are protected by our Constitution.

 

 

We therefore, implore all South Africans to respect all languages, and avoid public spats that could raise the ire of those affected by such public spats. They are necessary because the Constitution covers what the language policy is. Where we have difficulties, we have owned up as to why we are unable to implement or to develop especially African languages to the level that they can be subjects of teaching.

 

 

There is a growing body of current research on African languages that confirms that the orthographies and the linguistic structures of African languages are unique and very different to the English language. As a result we have conceptualised reading methodologies that speak to African languages. The language issue is a key factor because it does impact on reading and literacy outcomes. I am also delighted to announce that as the Council of Education Ministers, CEM, we have agreed on the

 

 

teaching of Kiswahili. [Applause.] Kenya and Tanzania are helping us.

 

 

We also want to report that we are revising our delivery model for infrastructure to make sure that we can improve. We are also working very hard with the sector to make sure that the programmes of ECD and Learners with Special Educational Needs where we have received new funding are also strengthened.

 

 

I want to conclude – because I can see I am left with two minutes to thank His Excellence who has outlined the directions

... [Time expired.] Okay, I will complete in my remaining five minutes. I thank you. [Applause.]

 

 

Ms B P GIGABA: House Chairperson, Minister of Basic Education, Deputy Minister, Hon Mhaule, Hon Ministers and deputy Ministers present, MECs for Education present, The Director-General and The senior officials of the department, Members of the Portfolio committee on Basic Education. Chairperson, I must say one is honoured today for being afforded the opportunity to address our

 

 

Nation on this important budget vote of the department of Basic Education

 

 

This is a serious platform of responsibility that should give hope to over 12 million learners, 400 thousand teachers and many other young children in the various education spaces of our country. I stand before you aware of the momentous times that we are traversing.

 

 

Our approach to education derives its inspiration from the Freedom Charter.

 

 

The Charter says; the aim of education shall be to teach the youth to love their people and their culture, to honour human brotherhood, liberty and peace.

 

 

Education shall be free, compulsory, universal and equal for all children. These are some of the values our education system is structured to impart to our nation.

 

 

The ANC manifesto calls for everyone to be part of “growing South Africa together”. Education is not spread! Education is expected to respond to the demands of growing South Africa. In that score, The ANC manifesto impresses that government must open the doors of learning to all, “by focusing on quality and innovation, we will equip young South Africans for the world of tomorrow"

 

 

Chairperson, this call by The ANC is very clear. It yearns for proper preparation of our citizenry. A citizenry that will not be rendered redundant in its own country. A citizenry that is not left behind in the changing world but is equipped to participate in the mainstream economy and the emancipation of its life.

 

 

This is where we are as we debate the Vote 14 allocation of R24.5 billion to education of this country. A budget that should be central in the quest for skilling our nation properly.

However, the above expectation of skilling our nation puts our education system at a crossroad. The choice to do things the same old way does not exist anymore.

 

 

However, ours would be a three-pronged approach which definitely will be unique and would need us to be smart, efficient and effective with our hard earned allocated resources. There is no time for wastages and neither time for delays and mistakes. When receiving the presentation on The APP and when analysing the Sona, and going Through The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education Legacy Report, one notes That this budget must be spread in three approaches of delivery.

 

 

The budget must consolidate the gains and it must continue to address the persistent challenges and it must set a foundation of charting a new strategic direction of the department in order to respond to the demands of the skills revolution. Chairperson, this is the system that, while we agree That it is on the upward trajectory since the down of our democracy, if however on the one hand, is a system that still has to address some realities and persistent challenges.

 

 

The same budget, on the other hand has to chart a new direction of skilling our nation. This means that the new direction will

 

 

have to be embedded within the nucleus of growth of the system and within the existing host of realities and challenges.

 

 

The trajectory of our education system has been well documented and has been open for all to see. its successes were clear to everyone and The challenges were not hidden either: indeed, this budget could not have come at a better time. A better time where two days from now, this budget vote coincides with the July month, the month in which July 18Th was dedicated by the United Nations back in2009, to be the Nelson Mandela Day, a day in which the souls of all humanity are challenged to make the world a better place.

 

 

A better time where we have an education system with the most stable curriculum.

 

 

This budget could not have come at a better time; where access in the pre-schooling and primary schooling has improved dramatically.

 

 

These are the good times, where primary school completion has increased to over 95%.

 

 

Good times indeed, because all children are entering the schooling system within their age.

 

 

We have a system that cares for the well-being of its learners by feeding 9.7 million learners out of the l2 million in the system.

 

 

We need to celebrate that 9 out of 10 schools are no-fee schools.

 

 

The 2O17 School Monitoring Survey concludes that at a national level, learners’ access to libraries increased significantly from 45% in 2011 to 62% in 2017.

 

 

The number of vacant posts has decreased signi?cantly since 2011.

 

 

Chairperson, the national average for filled teaching posts (primary and secondary schools combined) increased from 69% to 78% since the 2011 survey.

 

 

The survey further notes that approximately 95% of learners across all quintiles had access to their own workbooks in both the Home Language and mathematics. The ANC government workbook Hon Chairperson that is the delivery that we can attest to! This is the work we need to continue doing within this budget so that the gains of our democracy can be consolidated. We need to celebrate these gains.

 

 

The progressive move of Early Childhood Development (ECD) is welcomed. This will indeed expand access and thereby improve quality of ECD programme. Ours is to request thorough planning and intense engagements amongst the affected departments and stakeholders so that we cover all the necessary tracks and scope of work to avoid derailment and contestations.

 

 

Our children must be able to read with meaning. We believe the department when they inform the portfolio committee that, using

 

 

the early grade assessment Toolkit, they will work to improve the reading proficiency levels in the foundation phase in all underperforming rural and township schools. The allocation of the Rl.9 billion for the Curriculum Policy, support and monitoring programme allocated in this programme may go a long way in monitoring The implementation of The reading norms and Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA).

 

 

However, Chairperson, during the presentation of the department, we noted that the targets set for monitoring the implementation of The reading norms was only 20 schools, increasing to 40 in the Medium Term targets and we feel that these may need to be revised. While we are happy that the reading call has been included in the education sector priorities, lest us also bear in mind that it has been the Presidential call and that of other international studies, thereby elevating it for greater attention.

 

 

We also need to get engaged to address the teachers‘ absenteeism challenge which is at 1O% on average per day. What is worrying is that the School Monitoring Survey as released recently,

 

 

indicates that the problem increased from 8% to 1O%. My reading is that it seems that the situation may not be at an alarming rate yet, but this is a matter that needs urgent attention.

Intense monitoring is required and targeted support may have to be solicited.

 

 

When we read the Legacy Report of the previous committee, we noted that there were instances where teachers have been studying at home for 6 years while learners remaining with no teachers. It was recorded that some of the provinces were battling with these cases to the detriment of the quality of teaching and learning when dealing with this matter.

 

 

We need to accept that it is a matter that is also teaching us other weaknesses in the system. The teachers’ absenteeism challenge may be giving us a signal on lack of effective supervision at schools, poor management of institutional time, lack of local community interest in the school system and lack of appropriate and timely sanctions to the behaviour.

 

 

Curriculum coverage is one of the matter to keep an eye on various figures have been pitched and at the same time contested on the level of curriculum coverage in South African schools.

What we know is that our country has high access rate with many learners attending schools and spending more time at school. The challenge to the Department is that curriculum coverage monitoring should be one area of devoted attention if we want to have full grip of what is happening in the classroom. We may blame this to all sorts of problems, but we, at the end of it all, have to monitor curriculum delivery.

 

 

Progromme 2 of the department is Curriculum Policy, Support and Monitoring, and when one looks at the set indicators on monitoring and supporting the implementation of National Curriculum Statements (NCS), one notes that the targets are on reading norms, and incremental Introduction to African Languages but none on monitoring curriculum coverage.

 

 

Chairperson, the African National Congress will continue to promote the objectives of the National Democratic Revolution, (NDR) to unite all South Africans behind the vision of a united,

 

 

non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. Father of our Notion Nelson Rolihlohlo Mandendela once said; “Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social ills.”

 

 

Inequality and poverty in our education system, coupled with geographic trap that determine that children would achieve better if they are in a particular area remain a challenge. We are proud that the African National Congress has introduced many initiatives to deal with redress in the education system. But Chairperson, inequality and poverty are becoming a determinant of efficiency and quality. The patterns of migration are teaching us these lessons. Continued calls are there that educational achievement amongst South African children is strongly associated with their socio-economic status. This can change!

 

 

Tackling drop-out rate is also a responsibility we have to address, urgently.

 

 

The above challenges call for improved quality of teaching and learning, through various support, including sustained Teacher provisioning, development and support, provisioning of Learning and Teaching Support materials (LTSM).

 

 

The Third approach to this budget is to respond to the call for skills revolution as mandated in the ANC manifesto. Chairperson The ANC Government needs to use this budget To quantify the costs and implement measures to address redundancy of our children.

 

 

Fellow South Africans if truth be told, we cannot boldly tackle the current challenges in our education system, without interrogating the painful past that stereotyped education to deny our people the required skills. Education not only provides children and families with a pathway out of poverty, but it can also yield even bigger returns for the world's poorest countries.

 

 

The ANC manifesto calls that doors of learning should be open to call by focusing on quality and innovation to equip young South

 

 

Africans for the world of tomorrow. The demands of the 4th Industrial Revolution have a great potential of misplacing our children if they ore not well equipped.

 

 

Education must play a significant role in responding to the call for more and decent jobs. Education should also be challenged to contribute in the reduction of employment rate that is currently sitting at 27%. The announcement that we need to strengthen technical and vocational streams is welcome.

 

 

The call by the National Development Plan (NDP) that the different parts of the education system should work together allowing learners to take different pathways that offer high quality learning opportunities”, should be fully supported.

 

 

Considering tight financial constraints, we encourage the Department to come up with a plan within the system and that plan should be supported, resourced and be executed well. The prime to this should be to expand the scope of the schools of skills which currently are skewed only to the favour of the Western Cape Province.

 

 

We are also concern that some Universities are playing frustrating games with some learners who recently passed their Grade l2 with some of these subjects. We encourage speedy dialogue between the DBE and Higher Education institution to create seamless articulation for our learners.

 

 

Universities must not frustrate learners on this matter by not accepting them into their programmes.

 

 

The committee has been assured that priority in this budget would be to develop materials for new technology subjects and specialisations including technical mathematics, and technical sciences, monitoring the training of teachers in technical subjects and developing other guides in support.

 

 

We are happy Chairperson that various plans are underway to respond to the demands of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The Department has indicated that in line with the framework for skills for a changing world.

 

 

The preparatory work for training for educators and learners to respond to emerging technologies, including internet of things, coding, and official intelligence, is well under way.

 

 

I would like to emphasize the fact that of course, try as it might, government on its own cannot achieve our nation‘s educational goals. We need to harness the energies and resources of the whole nation. It is precisely for this reason that we cannot repeat too often our appreciation of the role of business; progressive non-governmental organisations and community organizations in the transformation of education. [Time expired.]

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Hon Chair, participation of our teachers and school management on the Teaching and Learning International Survey, Talis, report has been a good benchmark for our education system against the best in the world, and like all research it got South Africans talking.

 

 

This report illustrates what we already know. Actually the large number of those issues within that report is understated. You

 

 

see Chair, South Africa has two types of education system: One in poverty and the other in financial stability. Eighty percent of our learners attend dysfunctional schools, where a family member might never see their child again because the violence between learners can escalate to death; where drugs and alcohol move freely into school premises because of gangs in the area or a tavern which is 100 metres away; where children may never safely arrive at school because of the condition of their transport; where a child has no chair to sit on because members of the community vandalised the school; and where a child attend school with no school facilities to keep them free of outside influence and peer pressure.

 

 

These are the daily realities of many learners in this country. To more surprise the department’s Programme 5 which seeks to promote social cohesion, safety and implementing of schools sports spend a mere R7,1 million a year which means the department spends R788 000 per province, and R500 per school to monitor and support a school within this programme. This is not a commitment Minister, it is a sham!

 

 

Sporting facilities are nonexistent in the majority of schools. The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has a miserable budget, but yet it is expected to give support to schools.

Adjustments must be made because within that budget of basic education there is no clear-cut allocation for violence. We need clarity, Minister. For in the system we lost many learners. We lost Kulani Mathebula, Daniel Bakwela, Felies Sithembile, Odirile Mafora, David Metlape and Madan Mothlamme. All these learners were between the age of nine and 19. They were all killed by their peers from the same schools or nearby schools.

 

 

How long must this list be for you to understand that you have a crisis at schools, Minister? These learners will never finish their matric, they will never go to university or obtain a job, get married and have children. They will never experience the Fourth Industrial Revolution which this government fondly talks about all the time.

 

 

What is also disappointing is that even the President paid no attention to school violence in both His state of the nation addresses this year. That means the ANC shows no interest in the

 

 

safety of our learners or does not believe it is a crisis. Minister we need a holistic approach. We need to be pre-emptive and preventative measures.

 

 

As the DA we have five things which we could do to combat violence in schools. Every provincial department should establish a safe schools call centre - I have been talking about this for years now - in all provinces so that communities can immediately report and get advice on violence, bullying, gangs and drug use. This has been very useful in the Western Cape and learners in other provinces need a similar resource.

 

 

We need support of afterschool programmes to keep learners occupied, safe and socially engaged, like what we are doing in the Western Cape with afterschool game changer.

 

 

Mamelani [Listen.] We need serious collaboration across this department.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: The Departments of Justice and Correctional Services, Health and Social Development and the SA Police Service, SAPS, should ensure that every school ...

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, hon member, can you just hold for a minute.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Hon Chairperson, make sure that my time is saved.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, I would discourage you from communicating directly with the hon members.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Hon Chairperson, how did I do that?

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): You better address the hon members through me. No, you time is taken into consideration.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Alright.

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Chairperson, on a point of order.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Order, hon members. What is your point of order, homber?

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Chair, the hon members have never mentioned any body’s name. So, she never talked directly to anybody.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, order, hon members. Hon member, if a point of order is made, and I am of the discretion that it is going to cause chaos, then I would discourage it.

 

 

[Interjection.]

 

 

It is your conviction. Hon member, continue. Order, hon members! You can continue, hon member.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: We need to ensure that the Department of Basic Education properly trains educators on how to manage class discipline without resorting to corporal punishment.

 

 

The Talis survey focused on issues such as vandalism, violence and bullying which happens frequently in South Africa and infrequent in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, countries. The study felt short when it comes to arson because just two days after the release of the report a school was burnt down.

 

 

This would be an outlier in the report. Most countries have never experienced members of society burning schools not even in the rest of Africa. Chairperson, burning of a school is unheard of, unless you live in a war-torn country. So, if I may ask: Who do we blame? It is not the 1976 learners who protested against Afrikaans because they never burnt any school. It is not the 1988 learners, but it is the learners from this very system who actually go out and burn our schools. This is an upfront, it is criminal and it should be treated as such. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

 

Mr V PAMBO: Hon Chairperson, the EFF and its leadership, education is a basic necessity for every one’s development, self-actualisation and dignity in particular for a black child.

 

 

The demand for a well capacitated basic education system that is decolonised and afrocentric is at the heart of self-love. What we have now is an excuse for basic education. At a core of education in particular basic education, is the need to develop and advance indigenous knowledge to achieve sovereignty and economic freedom.

 

 

Any education that is not based on this clear principle will only subject this and many generations to condemnation of being cheap and easily accessible labour to economic, cultural and recreational life which they are not meaningful participants but spectators.

 

 

This is why early childhood education is central to the foundation of education towards economic freedom and total sovereignity to production of African knowledge, goods and services.

 

 

We must make Early Childhood Development, ECD, compulsory and ensure universal provision of ECD programmes. Making ECD compulsory and universally accessible is the first step; the

 

 

second step is to move towards the development of curriculum which focuses on nutrition, book reading, story telling and the other land based activities. Children must understand, not only is the land theirs, but it is linked with the economy, cultural participation and all forms of life.

 

 

All ECD practitioners must be employed on a fulltime basis, with full pay and pension contribution by government. The treatment of ECD practitioners, who many are women and are unpaid volunteers, do not receive any form of training or recognition for the important work they do. This is a clear demonstration of how not serious you are with the future of the black child, Minister. The Department of Basic Education must train more ECD practitioners. Let us agree on a target of 40 000, ECD practitioners whom 50% should be women and youth by 2021.

 

 

We can also agree as Parliament that the department should submit a comprehensive and clear plan on how they will be training these practitioners. This proposal must be submitted by the end of September 2019.

 

 

Minister, we need to move towards one education system as a country. All learners should fall under one school system and all matric learners must write the same examination. So, we do not want Independent Examinations Board, IEB. Some of us who went through IEB know that we are privileged by virtue of going through IEB. [Interjections.]

 

 

So, it is important, Minister that we make sure that we do not create a parallel education system. Our brothers and sisters in the township must be able t enjoy the same benefits as those kids who are in white schools.

 

 

How do you continue with a colonial and apartheid system that entrenches inequality in our society? How do you tolerate a system that does not educate, but systematically keeps the economy in the hands of white minority?

 

 

While we are moving towards one education system as a country, in the immediate, we must uproot racism and sexism in all private schools. In fact, we need a commission of inquiry into the admission, language and dress codes of all private schools.

 

 

No school should be having only white learners. They must be forced to enrol black, coloured and Indian learners. Subsidize those who cannot afford and ensure that the school environment is the representation of South African demographics.

 

 

However, also we must do away with the nonsense of using Afrikaans as a tool to discriminate against black people in former white only schools. We must confront this devil head-on; deal with it now, so that in future our children do not deal with this nonsense.

 

 

Basic education is the foundation phase of making of a learning being, in which, it is of utmost importance that a learner must find themselves in the knowledge that they engage with.

 

 

However, as it stands, the syllabus is alienating and shouts out to the learner that their appearance in the world is not adequate. This is seen through the use of school’s code of conduct which polices, that the ways in which the learners appear at school is not wanted. So, the ways in which they engage with language, the ways in which they are expected to be

 

 

in the school and the ways in which they are expected to participate they have to taung. They are expected to cut their hair. So, it is important that we make sure that their hairstyles, ways of speaking and ultimately ways of being in the school is African and afrocentric in nature.

 

 

Let us also agree that by 2020 teachers are properly trained and are professionalised. Let us make sure that teachers matter. Let us make sure that we take care of all the needs of the teachers, so that teachers do not go to school to teach with the stress that they have of not being able to teach in the schools that they are deployed.

 

 

It is a shame that this government build soccer stadiums for 2010 World Cup worth billions in a few years, yet you are unable to do away with pit toilets for 25 years. In 2014 the World Cup was announced within six years you were able to build complex stadiums, but for 25 years ...

 

 

[Interjections.]

 

 

In 2014 there was an announcement of the World Cup in South Africa if you did not know!

 

 

[Interjections.]

 

 

In 2010 we had the tournament, but for 25 you were unable to build toilets for schools. Thank you very much. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

 

Mr S L NGCOBO: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, while we rise to this podium to dissect what is wrong and to commend what is right within the budget of this department, the reality of violence at our schools outside of this chamber is frightening. Our school children are being killed, our teachers are threatened and intimidated and both our teachers and learners face the harshest conditions that no educator, professional and learner should ever face.

 

 

Not only are some of our schools unable to meet the required norms and standards set out by this department, the conditions in these schools are wholly inadequate for teaching and learning

 

 

to take place. On the scourge of violence, I decide not go through a list of the victims in the name of the learners and teachers.

 

 

It is tragic, it is worrying and it must be swiftly addressed. These elements cannot reside within our classrooms, it must be rooted out and this department should act now before it is too late. One death in our schools is one too many. Hon Minister, through you chair; the quality of our education has over the years deteriorated significantly not because we do not know how to teach and learn, but because the administration has tried to please themselves and their own statistics.

 

 

It is hard to believe when we read external reports on the shocking levels of numeracy and literacy in our classrooms. What is even harder to believe is that we lower the bar to pass these learners who cannot read nor write. It is not good enough to do this - to pass learners who cannot do the basics, we cannot pass over what we do not want to address, the buck stops with you hon Minister We are letting down the generations that come after us. Chairperson, yes, we are all aware of the unfortunate socio-

 

 

economic factors which are at play in our country and which affect our schools too, but it is the role of this department to ensure that policy and practice meets despite some of the realities at home, around the classroom and in communities

 

 

Things such as asbestos classrooms, pit-toilets or latrines, dilapidated classrooms with non-functioning laboratory equipment in some places there aren't even labs available and just the basics to function. These things should be things of the past.

We can’t roll-out coding if we don’t have the technology in most classes to do so. This would simply mean that the playing field will remain unequal for the black child living in a rural community but has an above average mathematics and technology ability when tech classrooms don’t exist in most places.

 

 

Let us work together to ensure that we prioritise those who have been left out for far too long. We must deal with inequality and it starts within our educational system. Minister, the IFP pleads with you to fix what is broken within the ECD system.

Unpaid and exploited teachers and poor faculties for learners are not the way to go if we want to go forward.

 

 

Furthermore, the department must ensure for instance that scholar transport is reliable, is safe, and is available in particular in rural communities. Learners cannot be expected to wake up at 4 am in the morning to start walking to reach the classroom.

 

 

National policies and programmes which are able to be adapted by provincial Department of Education must be monitored. We cannot have policies in provincial administration which are against that of the department and in some instances the Constitution.

 

 

We are aware that the task at hand is not easy, but your time in office has been long enough that we cannot say there has been no continuity and no leadership. All we want Minister, is better for our children and better for our country. Therefore, the IFP will support this Budget. I thank you.

 

 

Mr W J BOSHOFF: Hon Minister, and hon Chairperson, first it is actually welcome sight to see you in your office again because those of us who have been in teaching the era between 1994 when you assume office we knew that with each Minister we get a new

 

 

curriculum and that teaching and education in general was in a very unstable state at that stage. Actually nobody knew what to do and what was expected of them. You systematically returned stability and although we may differ on many important aspects at least one can say that in education people more or less know what is expected of them, that is to say when we work with professional teachers.

 

 

Now there is an artificial distinction which people make between education for qualification for the economy and education as a forming activity, that’s of course is a false distinction because even the most forming education exercise also generate the characteristics which are necessary for economic success and the other way round.

 

 

That is where decolonization in education is a key factor, because in colonial thinking, there is a metropolis with one or more dependent countries or colonies. In the subjugated colonial mind, the metropolis is London, Lisbon, New York or Bejin. That is the centre of the world where my place is regarded as a

 

 

distant corner of the globe. Of course that is to limit oneself in a colonial mindset

 

 

A decolonized worldview, on the other hand, is one in which my place wherever that may exactly be, is the centre of your own world. Decolonization is taking responsibility for your own world, even though others may see that place as a distant corner of world. Decolonizing education has everything to do with economic success because the decolonized mind integrated itself with science and the world of knowledge which is confronted in the word of work and can interact with that in a very direct way.

 

 

South African education however, is sadly colonised. It is increasingly, and I’m very glad about what you told us about the development of African languages and the guarantee of mother tongue education but until now, South African education is increasingly offered in only one language, in English! And it is not always legitimate to say that Afrikaans is used as a way of exclusion where I come from in the Northern Cape there is no way

 

 

that you can exclude anybody with Afrikaans because everybody speaks Afrikaans.

 

 

In addition, our teachers don't regard themselves as professionals, but as part of the proletariat which organises itself in trade unions which get tough with its employer to the detriment of learners. This is one of the main problems that our unprofessional teachers who go on strike because they organise themselves in a trade union and not in a professional body like doctors or lawyers or wherever they would start at 17.38.10

 

 

Afrikaans children are colonised by subjecting them to a narrative in which their own past is only occasionally mentioned and then consequently to vilify them. The responsibility for education originates with communities and should also be delivered by community structures if some communities decide to delegate this responsibility to the state, either the national or provincial it creates no duty on others to follow suit. Thank you.

 

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon House Chair, thank you very much for this opportunity, cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers who are present, hon members, MECs from provinces, distinguished guests and stakeholders from the Department of Education. Chair, in the next two days the whole world will commemorate our outstanding son, a true visionary, the father of our democracy and an icon that the world continues to cherish; the first democratic president of our republic, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

 

 

As this happens, we are required to volunteer time and energy in a manner that will help grow South Africa. In our context, we are expected to intensify education delivery to emancipate the people of South Africa from poverty, unemployment and inequality.

 

 

The Mandela month takes place against the backdrop of the youth month which accorded South Africans an opportunity to commemorate 43 years of brave actions of the class of 1976, who were inspired by the Freedom Charter’s injunction that “the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”. This

 

 

generation, hon members, held a dream of a South Africa that is free, democratic and at peace with itself.

 

 

It is this generation that organised itself as the Congress of South African Students, COSAS, which celebrates 40 years of existence this year espoused by their mantra, “Each one teach one”. The institutional mechanism at the time labeled this great generation of ours as crazy, and history has judged them harshly. Today, we are proud to see the dream of these young lions come to fruition.

 

 

Chairperson, our government in the course of continuous assessment, sanctioned departments to undertake a 25-year review of progress made. The review which is available at the Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, re?ected on trends in educational outcomes, among which are the following; access to education, efficiency in school progression, quality of learning and equity in educational outcomes. This shows a huge movement from where South Africa was before 1994 and where she is in 2018.

 

 

Hon Chairperson and members, the President of the republic, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, made a commitment in his State of the Nation Address in June 2019; and it was that of a capable state. Within the basic education sector, this translates into ensuring that all levels of basic education delivery are functional, efficient and of impeccable quality.

 

 

Chair, members and fellow South Africans, efforts of improving the quality of teaching and the status of the teaching profession will be intensi?ed. Teachers will be empowered and equipped with skills, knowledge and techniques for a changing world, with a strong focus on foundational skills. We have started.

 

 

The quality and kind of teachers which are produced cannot be over-emphasized enough since they are instrumental in producing the kind of learners the country requires. The department is therefore working closely with the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology as well as the Education Deans Forum to improve the quality of initial teacher education programmes.

 

 

The current process of revising the policy on The Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Quali?cations, MRTEQ, in line with new developments in global and local contexts, will enhance effectiveness and efficiency in the development and delivery of initial teacher education programmes.

 

 

The revised policy will recognise the need for teacher education to consider emerging priorities, such as digitisation, 21th century skills and imperatives related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

 

 

The National Development Plan, NDP, requires the basic education sector to strengthen and expand the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, FLBP, to attract young students into the teaching profession.

 

 

During this current financial year, chairperson, more than thirteen thousand bursaries have been awarded to student teachers who are thirty years of age or younger, to register for initial teacher education programmes at universities.

Collectively, more than 5 000 young people have been recruited

 

 

from no-fee schools and disadvantaged communities, who have registered to study at universities across the country since the introduction of the District-Based Teacher Recruitment Programme.

 

 

Chair, a solid foundation for Mathematics in the Foundation Phase, FP, is crucial. Training of the Foundation Phase subject advisors on a year-long course with universities remains a priority. The current European Union, EU, funding is only benefitting 200 foundation phase advisors in two districts and only in one province at the cost of R8 million.

 

 

Chairperson, plans are being ?nalised by both departments, the Department of Basic Education and the Department of Social Development in support of the systematic and phased-in relocation of the responsibility and leadership for Early Childhood Development, ECD, from Social Development to Basic Education, in response to President Ramaphosa’s injunction during the February and June State of the Nation Addresses.

 

 

The main purpose of the ECD relocation is to expand access and to improve the quality of ECD programmes in support of two years of compulsory Grade R for all children before they enter Grade 1, as well as provision of ECD for 0-4 years old children. A costed plan for the ECD function shift will be ?nalised by March 2020.

 

 

The Department, in collaboration with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, and Cotlands with funding from the Lego Foundation, embarked on an in-service training programme to capacitate 150 000 ECD practitioners at foundation phase educators in play-based learning pedagogics and practice over a three-year period. It is impossible that when you have such a training, to train teachers in six months.

 

 

Hon Chair, through the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programmes, CSTLP, the department seeks to provide a basket of support services to remove barriers to learning. Our children face many challenges such as poverty, violence, lack of shelter, care and protection; health challenges, mental health, teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, drug and substance abuse — the

 

 

list is long. This shows that South Africans are concerned about these challenges.

 

 

These conditions have a direct impact on their ability to access school, to stay in school and to achieve to their full potential. Given some of the pressing and spiraling social ills in society, it has become increasingly critical for the department to double the efforts in providing psychosocial support services in the sector.

 

 

Schools are microcosms of society, it is then logical that schools will exhibit the challenges that exist in society. That’s why on issues of violence and issues of school safety, we cannot as members of society put it to Education alone because this is a societal matter. It needs a joint effort by all of us because what is happening in society is migrated to schools, so we cannot put a blame on schools and say, Minister, do this in schools, yet, we experience that and even worse in societies.

 

 

We need to work together with sectors of society to bring back degenerated morals in our societies.

 

 

A conducive learning environment is a necessary prerequisite to achieving quality and efficient basic education. Among other things, the training and placement of child and youth care workers through partnership with Social Development, provinces and Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs, are critical.

 

 

We continue to explore additional models and capacity with the support of the National Education Collaboration Trust. HIV and TB are now regarded as chronic diseases that have reached epidemic proportions in South Africa. The department is, therefore, intends on strengthening its programme in this regard.

 

 

Chairperson, we all say, education is everybody’s business, education is not for critics because some of the critics become even professional, and you find somebody being a professional social critic. Such people cannot bring any substantive and progressive ideas. Theirs is to criticise and criticise and criticise.

 

 

Chairperson, the department is receiving support from the Motsepe Foundation to the value of R117.5 million. This partnership seeks to encourage participation in sport and cultural activities, which are integral to the holistic development of a learner, as indicated in the National Development Plan, NDP.

 

 

The three key focal programmes are schools football, netball and the choral eisteddfod. Schools are where talent is identified, career choices are made and habits are learnt. We remain committed to the National Development Plan’s Vision 2030 of making learners more conscious of the things they have in common, rather than their differences.

 

 

The department set aside funds to implement the following three social cohesion and equity programmes; the National Schools Moot Court, iNkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History Programme and Evaluation of Textbooks, which intend to identify areas that depict discrimination, stereotypes, sexism and cultural discrepancies and misrepresentation contained in textbooks.

 

 

Hon members, by the end of 2019, the department commits to, among others, support the provision of school health services to

200 000 learners in Grades R, 1, 4, 8 and 10, including the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV, vaccine programme in Grade 5. We will print and distribute more than half a million educator guides and learner books on sexuality education scripted lesson plans for Grades 4 to 6 and 10 to 12 in thousand schools.

 

 

We will also host a workshop on restorative conferencing and physical assault response towards violence prevention to improve competence on violence prevention in the sector.

 

 

Chairperson, on the issue of infrastructure, by the end of this financial year, we will complete the construction of 40 schools and deliver sanitation to 775 schools and water to 225 schools. The number of schools to be provided with sanitation includes 606 to be provided through the safe initiative, which is implemented in partnership with the private sector.

 

 

 Those who are not critics but when they see a need, they come closer and assist, and they also assist departments such as the

 

 

Department of Water and Sanitation as well as Environmental Affairs, and entities such as the Development Bank of Southern Africa, BDSA.

 

 

School infrastructure provision, Chair, remains a contentious matter that agility, innovation for effective delivery to accelerate the achievement that has already been registered. In order to beef up capacity at national level, we have a chief quantity surveyor and an engineer. We are in the process of appointing two more chief quantity surveyors and a chief project manager for school infrastructure.

 

 

Chair, as I close, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity and thank the Minister of the Department of Basic Education for the good that she is doing, and team education. I also, Minister, want to appreciate that my aunt is up there, she said that she wanted to come to Parliament and she is here today, Sarah Mgiba Mhaule. Thank you, Chairperson.

 

 

Ms M E SUKERS: Hon Chair, we extend our best wishes to the Minister in the new position. Hon Minister, it is our concern

 

 

that despite the best intentions of government that this education budget is throwing good money into a failed system. According to the World Economic Forum, South Africa scored second to last in quality of Africa’s education systems. Most of our learners cannot read with comprehension. Children finishing school, who does not gain university entry or entry to other tertiary institutions are doomed to take employment that limits their ability to be self-sustaining or live a prosperous life.

Our system do not render the outcome South Africa needs - that is more learners pursuing careers in areas critical to our economy. It is imperative for us to fast-track programmes that will enhance learners’ numeracy and abstract reasoning abilities.

 

 

The ACDP is calling for a change to the education system to one like the Cambridge system proven to be most effective in turning out well rounded and educated learners. In addition, we are calling on the government to increase the amount of skills schools that trains learners in skill functions fit for purpose. Surely, we need to attend to this with urgency as it affects the most vulnerable of our children. Right now, as we are debating

 

 

in this House, we are losing young men and women to the drug economy. We need integrated solutions in order to increase retaining learners in school. A learner stimulated in school is less prone to fall victim to the lure of drugs.

 

 

The current plan of the department to revise Life Orientation and introduce comprehensive sexual education from Grade 4 is not only morally repulsive, but it is an imposition by the state on the role of parents. The greatest gift we give the world is our children and the greatest gift we give our children is education. For this nation to raise world-class leaders and give the world more Nelson Mandelas, we cannot morally paralyse them.

 

 

Our children should be taught our values as Africans. We cannot sell confusion and moral retardation and hope for an upright well-adjusted generation. Most of us in these walls have been inspired to high ideals by great teachers.

 

 

Hon Minister and this House, we need to therefore ensure that we inspire a new generation of teachers as we seek to transform the education sector. I thank you.

 

 

Mr P R MOROATSHEHLA: Hon House Chairperson, our hon Minister, Madam Angie Motshekga and all protocols observed, 25 years since the ushering of our democratic dispensation, two days before that special day - the day of the celebration of the internationally celebrated icon, Tata Rolihlahla Nelson Mandela,

23 years since the adoption of the most and ground breaking Constitution which legally entered the basic human rights of all people. We can but only look back with a smile how the ANC-led government turned the tide in adopting and passing the most progressive and life-touching policies and legislations for the advancement of equal and quality basic education.

 

The Freedom Charter could not have been more relevant when it stated that the doors of learning and of culture shall be opened for all and that there shall be free and compulsory education for all. The heinous and inhumane policies once conceived and implemented by the likes of “Verwoerd-hulle” is a thing of yesterday. Verwoerdian expressions such as: “There is no place for the Bantu in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour. ... What is the use of teaching the Bantu child mathematics when it cannot use it in practice?”

 

 

House Chairperson, these are the words of the former Minister of Native Affairs, who later was elevated to be the Prime Minister of the Republic of South Africa between 1958 and 1966. With all this said and done, this mini-plenary must be told that it is one thing for us gathered here to formulate and pass laws at this level, but it’s another thing to implement them.

 

 

As we all marched towards the promulgated date of our provincial and national elections, all political formations cut across the length and breadth of our country, we promised South Africans heaven and earth based on our election manifestos. Our approach on how we are going to deliver on the basic education to the South African child was not different. Section 29 (1) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa as amended in 1996 provides that everyone has the right to education, including adult education. This is the same Constitution that legislated that all people are equal and thus have equal rights, that including to fundamental education.

 

 

Any form of discrimination, be it on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, language - you name it, is

 

 

completely prohibited and therefore prosecutable by law. It is against this background that inclusive education becomes a right to every citizen and not a privilege. Having gone through all your election manifestos, I can conclusively say that we are in congruence in as far as the provision of basic education is concerned. Why we should come and differ here, I find it sinister and unacceptable. [Applause.]

 

 

Policies underpinning such successful delivery of quality basic education will inter alia reflect the following. The language vis-à-vis the admission policy, we may come to this House with all forms of negativism, selfish and defence mechanism, yet the truth remains, nothing can substitute the importance and the value of mother tongue in the education of our children. The SA Schools Act will attest to that.

 

 

I’ve heard many people talk about the policy on school safety, but hon Chair, through you to this House, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, in our engagement with the Minister was never oblivious to the perennial violence and the killings that ravage our schools. We admitted – it is the fact,

 

 

but the bottom line is that education remains a societal matter and if we had to defeat that monster we must all join hands and stop criticising one party at the expense of the other. [Applause.].

 

 

We agree that the death of one teacher is one too many ... [Time expired.]

 

 

Mr C M SIBISI: Hon House Chair, hon Minister, and Deputy Minister, hon members and fellow South Africans, I greet you all, the NFP welcomes and supports the Budget Report on Basic Education. [Applause.] The NFP supports the 7,8% budget increase. We also support the sector planning priorities in support of improved reading and learning outcomes through the early childhood development, ECD function shift; early grade reading; ICT in education; assessments; violence on social cohesion in schools and the Sanitation Appropriate for Education, Safe, initiative.

 

 

Hon House Chair, our primary and secondary education institutions are in need of constant attention, improvement and

 

 

innovative developments. However, the increase of violence within our schools it’s a serious cause for concern. House Chair, we have seen on social media platforms the gruesome attacks involving both learners on learners and learners on educators. We have to admit that our schools have become places of violence and educators together with students do not feel safe anymore.

 

 

Schools situated in impoverished areas suffer from poor school infrastructure, placing educators and learners’ lives in danger. We, as the NFP, note the project plans for practical completion of 15 inappropriate schools and 41 sanitation projects by September 2019 and we support these initiatives. We note that the Minister reminded members that in respect of the infrastructure grant, the monies were transferred directly to provincial education departments, PEDs. The NFP supports the Minister in seeking new necessary resources to carry out some of the functions required.

 

 

We need to look into the overcrowding of classrooms. Till this day, we have one educator with the responsibility of teaching 40

 

 

to 60 students in a classroom. Subjects such as mathematics and physical science which require special attention which educators are unable to give these students. Hon House Chair, the reality is that we have brilliant students with special gifts, but it will not be discovered due to this issue.

 

 

In respect of the National School Nutrition Programme, the struggle for environmental justice to address shortage of nutritious food to feed needy learners remains valid and school nutrition programmes, if managed properly, can make a crucial contribution in this regard.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Ikakhulukazi kubantwana abasuka emakhaya abanye basizakala kakhulu ngokudla okutholakala ezikoleni ngoba kunamakhaya la osuke uqonda khona ukuthi umfundi uzofika ekhaya alale angadlile. Sifisa ukuncoma nokuwubonga uMnyango ngalolu hlelo oluhle abalwenzela izwe lakithi eNingizimu Afrika. [Kwaphela isikhathi.]

 

 

Mr L M NTSHAYISA: Chairperson, let me start off by congratulating the Nombulelo Secondary School in Makhanda on their outstanding achievement in the music competition. The annual performance plan of the Department of Basic Education aligns itself to, among other things, the National Development Plan, NDP, the Green Paper for Post School Education and Training and the Medium-Term Strategic Framework 2014 to 2019. It is also inspired by President Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address.

 

 

The NDP envisages that by 2030, all South Africans should have access to education and training of the highest quality, leading to significantly improved learning outcomes.

 

 

The achievement of improved learning outcomes has a bearing on how learners, post-education phase, perform in the immediate future. Our education system is the bedrock of the country’s economic development.

 

 

There are urgent challenges we need to attend to. The AIC says that the rationalisation of schools’ policy is unworkable and

 

 

the mega-sized schools do not always address the structural, socioeconomic issues affecting our learners. As an alternative, we said we will revamp mud schools, properly equip them and attract a competent staff complement. We should provide allowances at these schools to incentivise teachers, so that they can do their work with great interest. There was a bold emphasis that we need to have accreditation-exit classes at the end of each phase in high school. In this way, we will be able to document learners who leave the education system before  Grade 12. We also said that we will ensure that scholar transport and school nutrition are properly looked into. We do appreciate the allocation that has been made to school nutrition. At least, it will assist learners that come from poor families.

 

 

There is admission by the department that, as a result of budget cuts for the provincial education departments, compliance with the norms and standards for school infrastructure will likely not be achieved. This is regrettable!

 

 

There are still schools that withhold reports of learners ... [Time expired.] We do support the Budget Vote. [Applause.]

 

 

Ms D VAN DER WALT: Chairperson, I dedicate my speech today to every learner who is still taught in an unsafe school building and schools without water and sanitation facilities, after years of promises during the Sona, state of the province address, Scopa, and Budget Vote speeches.

 

 

Coding and tablets won’t make a difference to the learners who have died doing something as simple as using a toilet. In 2007, the six-year-old Siyamthanda Mtundu died after the walls of a toilet collapsed on him. In 2013, seven-year-old Lister Magongwa died after the walls of a toilet collapsed on him. In January 2014, five-year-old Michael Komape died after drowning in a dilapidated pit toilet. In 2018, five-year-old Lumka Mkhethwa died after drowning in a pit toilet.

 

 

In 2019, the warning lights are still not seen, as the Eastern Cape department spends R4,8 million on nine uncompleted pit latrines. It amounts to more than R533 000 per toilet.

 

 

The latest National Education Infrastructure Management System, Neims, report still paints a very bleak picture with Limpopo still having 2 524 schools with pit latrines, the Eastern Cape has 1 945 and KwaZulu-Natal has 2 607. Why was there a difference in statistics in Neims report and the Rapid Audit report from the department to the President?

 

 

In February 2014, the Limpopo Department of Education announced that the initial budget of R997 million would see the eradication of the bucket and pit toilets in 868 schools by the end of 2014. I quote Phuti Seloba:

 

 

I can put my head on the block and say that all the outstanding toilets will be delivered before the end of 2014. We just need our people to be patient with us!

 

 

Well, five years and five months later, our people are still waiting.

 

 

Afrikaans:

 

 

Toilette is egter nie die enigste infrastruktuurrisiko nie. Op 1 Februarie vanjaar sterf Roydon Olckers, Jandré Steyn, Marli Currie en Marnus Nagel, nadat ’n loopbrug by Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijlpark ineenstort.

 

 

Dié tragedie moet as ’n ernstige waarskuwing dien om inspeksie by al ons skole te doen en te verseker dat die strukturele integriteit van alle klaskamers, geboue, loopgange en brûe aan die aanvaarbare standaarde, soos uiteengesit in wetgewing, voldoen.

 

 

English:

 

We have some solutions. Reverse the massive budget cut to school infrastructures. R7,2 billion was cut and it returned to us at an unacceptable rate of drips ...

 

 

Ms M M GOMBA: Chairperson, will the member take a question?

 

 

Ms D VAN DER WALT: Afterwards, I will give you two days. The massive bailouts paid to save Eskom, SAA and Denel, because of corruption is morally questionable, whilst the lives of our

 

 

children and teachers are placed at risk every day at unsafe schools. Treasury should implement a proper monitoring system for all conditional funds and departments should blacklist and stop using doggy middlemen and implementing agents.

 

 

Learners should not pass their nearest school. In South Africa, every learner should be educated by qualified teachers at a school which is properly built, safe, with dignified sanitation, water, and electricity, and equipped laboratories, libraries and sporting facilities. We owe it to our children. [Applause.]

 

 

Ms N G ADOONS: Hon Chair, hon Minister of Basic Education, hon Deputy Minister, hon members in the House, the officials led by the Director General, all guests, ladies and gentlemen, principals, teachers, parents and learners, fellow South Africans, good afternoon.

 

 

Let me appreciate the opportunity given to me to participate in this debate - the debate which recognizes many accomplishments by the ANC-led government. The government deliberately and consciously declared improved quality basic education as top

 

 

priority. It therefore calls on all of us to make an extraordinary effort so that this objective is realised for the benefit of all the children in our country. The ANC supports the Budget Vote No 14. We cannot and we must not fail to ensure that we harness our collective energies to deliver on this important assignment.

 

 

Setswana:

 

Setswana sa borona sere, mabogo dinku a thebana.

 

 

English:

 

We welcome the development that we have noted with the work of the Ministry of Basic Education to date. It is important to acknowledge that despite the many challenges that still exist; the system has continued to show signs of improvement.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Qhubeka mbokodo, uyibambe uye phambili uvale iindlebe uye phambili. Malibongwe!

 

 

English:

 

 

The provision of infrastructure remains one of the major challenges in rural areas. The ANC manifesto further argues for the improvement of quality teaching and learning and eradication of illiteracy in the schooling system. These priorities have fundamentally informed our radical programmes for educational transformation.

 

 

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his Sona, committed government to improve infrastructure in schools in order to create conducive environment for teaching and learning. He indicated that the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI is part of the National Infrastructure Plan. He furthermore stated that the National Infrastructure Plan continues to be the key job driver and catalyst for economic growth in our country.

 

 

School infrastructure backlog programme has been allocated  R4O,4 billion of which constitutes 51,4% of its total budget for the further replacement of unsafe schools as well as to address challenges of shortages of water, electricity and sanitation.

 

 

There is a lot of progress that has been made in the 2018-19 financial year; from the provincial programme funded through the Education Infrastructure Grant and the equitable share.

 

 

Amongst others, there is a total of 3 661 teachings spaces that were established; about 1 155 maintenance projects were completed, 205 disaster projects completed, water, sanitation, electricity, fencing, sports facilities, boarding schools are also amongst some of them.

 

 

Two full service schools and two special schools were provided. The sector has provided a total of 66 new and replacement schools in respective provinces. On the Accelerated School infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI 222 new schools have been replaced inappropriate structures including mud schools, 795 schools has been provided with sanitation and 935 with water.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Siyaqhuba thina siya phambili.

 

 

English:

 

You can make noise if you want to. The mandate to improve school infrastructure is derived from outcome one of government’s Medium Term Strategic Framework, which commits government to invest in schools infrastructure. Hon Chair, the Education Infrastructure Grant has been allocated to provinces and will be highly monitored by the department to ensure that all schools meet the minimum norms and standard of infrastructure.

 

 

Chair, as the ANC, we support and welcome the Budget and we acknowledge that it is in essence inadequate to address the historical backlogs of the period prior to 1994. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon Chair, hon Minister, education and violence at schools and rotten food given to learners and undignified sanitation in schools is not societal matter - not after 25 years - it is a matter for the Sixth Parliament to solve once and for all. Learners in the 10 crime hotspots at the Cape Flats lie as a priority to be 100% safe at schools. Hon Minister, you cannot leave everything to the police and the

 

 

army. For the next three months, Minister must have a parallel process.

 

 

Minister, Al Jama-ah supports the Budget Vote on Basic Education. With that said, learners under the Progressive Student Movement with 100 000 learners in their database, through their conference in June, adopted a solution document which questions the effectiveness of the equitable share formula in redressing the disparities in most rural provinces. The learners believe that the 3% waiting given to poverty component is insufficient.

 

 

I want to acknowledge the presence of Kabelo Nthekiso, the President of the Progressive Student Movement in the gallery. He was elected at the conference in Bloemhof, in June, by delegates representing 100 000 learners. He attended Marang Primary School in Jakkalsdans - a deep rural village school in North West where the hon Boshoff also comes from. It is the poorest primary school in the North West Province. Al Jama-ah regards Progressive Student Movement, PSM as a learner command of South

 

 

Africa. They have a solution for violence in schools, hon Minister, make time for them.

 

 

Al Jama-ah also wants to make the point that the 3% is not helping rural schools. Help by increasing the waiting for poverty component in your Budget by having under rador, not 3% but 60% in the spirit of Mandela Day. But let’s start with comma 76% that will help you honour President Mandela on Thursday. Please adjust the Budget if you can.

 

 

Al Jama-ah also wants students in Madrasas memorising the Quran by heart to help learners with their multiplication tables as many cannot multiply three times three at the age of 10. When I campaigned for votes I tested these students in Mitchells Plain and abandoned the campaign for the day and ... [Inaudible.] helped them memorize their tables.

 

 

So, we have a lot of challenges in the Western Cape besides the violence. It is unacceptable that students and learners reach the age of 12 and they can’t read and write and also they can’t

 

 

multiply. So, we have a real challenge for this Parliament but we support the Budget and good luck, hon Minister. [Applause.]

 

 

Ms C V KING: Chairperson, hon Minister, it is high time that our education does more to create opportunities for learners with disabilities to access their education with dignity. The DA believes that every child must get the opportunity to reach their full potential.

 

 

A total of 3 856 special needs learners wrote the National Senior Certificate exams in 2018 and two thirds of these learners are from the Western Cape, making up 2 471 learners. This prompted the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in March this year to conduct oversight on Vukani Centre for Children with Special Needs in Khayelitsha, Iqhayiya Care and Support House in Khayelitsha and De Heide Children Special Care Centre in Claremont.

 

 

Minister, it is clear that where the DA governs special needs learners have more access to education. Why is it then Minister

 

 

that other provinces have a lethargic approach when it comes to special needs education?

 

 

Human Rights Watch estimated in 2018 that there were 600 000 children with disabilities not attending school in South Africa. The Working Group Protocol mentioned by the President in his Sona will not solve this problem. A total of 600 000 kids don’t have time to wait around for discussions papers and summits.

Coding and tablets won’t make a difference to special needs learners who are not in school, Minister.

 

 

The implementation of White Paper 6 has been slow. White Paper 6 was first introduced in 2001 and 17 years later, there has not been much progress in the implementation of the inclusive education system. So, Mr President and Minister, for how long must we watch this space? The implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of teacher skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide range of learning needs and schools to screen, identify, assess and support learners.

 

 

Despite the fact that universal access to education is enshrined in national legislation, thousands of learners with disabilities remain locked out of opportunities to realise their right to access education. The ANC-led government’s chronic underfunding of special need facilities is placing massive financial constraints on parents who must pay school fees and hostel fees. This is aggravated by the fact that many special schools are not classified as no-fee schools.

 

 

Currently, the conditions in special needs schools don’t meet the standards in guidelines as required by White Paper 6. As an example, Sigcau Special School in Flagstaff has appalling and deteriorating conditions due to failing infrastructure, a health and security risk for learners whose basic human rights are violated on a daily basis, Minister.

 

 

Minister, it is time that the national government puts its money where its mouth is. You can do this by: allocating new funding to establish more purpose-built, professionally-staffed schools for learners with special needs; strengthening special schools to ensure that they can act as resource centres and support the

 

 

entire inclusive education system by offering training on curriculum differentiation, assessment and instruction; and improving the already-existing facilities to bring them in line with the inclusive education approach. Be bold enough Minister, to ensure that provincial education departments spend conditional grants earmarked for special needs on special needs facilities. Remember, you said that you were not certain what the provincial departments were doing with it.

 

 

Quoting the words of the late President Mandela, please ... [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Hon members, I think before I even start with my speech, it is very important that I remind the National Party reborn as DA ... [Interjections.]

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Chair, on a point of order ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, please take your seat. Order, hon members! What is your point of order, hon member?

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Can the hon member stop misleading this House and get his point readily? [Interjections.]

 

 

AN HON MEMBER: It is a point of debate.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): That’s not a point of order, hon member. You can continue.

 

 

Mr M G MAHLAULE: Chair, we want to remind the DA that it is his maiden speech. So, he must not be interrupted. Thank you very much. [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon members, please!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: thank you very much hon two piece. It is very important that we understand that the ANC conference ... [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, Malaji. [Interjections.] Hon members, please! Hon members, please! Hon

 

 

Malaji, I refer you to the Rule that says, let us respect each other.

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Please!

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Let us call each other in respectable terms. I humbly request you to observe that. Could you please, hon Malaji, withdraw the hon piece or whatever that you said!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: I withdraw, hon Chair.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Thank you very much! Order, hon members! Hon members, please!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Chairperson, it is very important that we understand that when the ANC was elected in 1994, it had a very big responsibility ... [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon members, you are drowning the speaker. Hon member ... [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Are you saving my time?

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): No, no. It’s fine. Just ... Hon members! Hon member! Hon members, you are drowning the speaker. Could you please allow him? Hon member, if you continue this way, we would have no alternative but to take another direction. Yes! Hon members, could you please allow the speaker on the podium to continue! If you have an objection or point of order, you are allowed to raise your hand and make your point of order. But unnecessary interjections disrupt the smooth running of the House, please!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Thank you very much, Chairperson. It is very important to understand that in 1994 when the ANC was elected into power by the majority of South Africans, had a big responsibility to try and address the injustices of the past. We know very well that in the past education and infrastructure of education was only preserved for the minority who had fear of the majority being educated.

 

 

We know very well that the issue of the violence in schools and our communities cannot be separated from the inequalities that we are faced with as a country. The biggest issue that we are faced with, which is inequality, has forced our parents to wake up in the early hours of the morning, to go and sell their labour to the ruling class, and come back late at night without parenting their kids.

 

 

A lot of families are led by children and child-headed families are bound to produce mentally-ill kids. We cannot say we can’t blame it on the legacy of apartheid. I was expecting hon members from the DA when they come to the front here to firstly apologise for the injustices of the past and say, let’s work together to address them. [Interjections.]

 

 

Hon members ... Hon member of the EFF, it is very important that I do not spend much of my time addressing what you have said because you have done at best, was to remind us of our own resolutions. Some of the issues you have contributed lack scientific direction. It is very important that we educate you a bit because it is our fault that, when we were recruiting other

 

 

learners into the Congress of the SA Students, we forgot to recruit you. We apologise. [Laughter.]

 

 

Hon members, it s very important to understand that the issue of private schools ... [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr V PAMBO: Chairperson, on appoint of order: I am waiting for the lesson. I hope that he’ll teach me something. In the years that I have known you I have always been teaching you. So, I am waiting for you to give me something.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Pambo, there is no point of order there. Continue, hon member.

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Hon Chair, still on the issue of the EFF about the privatisation of private schools, it is very clear that we need to join hands and unite to resolve this issue. This is because we have seen that when others were leaving for Australia, leaving with our money after we took democracy, some of the members of the DA remained in the country and decided to create their own private schools rather than invest in public schools

 

 

because did not want to be seen and associated with the poor black majority. If they could bring back the money from Australia to invest in our schools, we’ll resolve many of our contradictions. [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon members, you are drowning the speaker.

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Comrades from the IFP. The hon member from the IFP, we fully agree that the issue of violence is a big issue. But we must not forget one important issue because, whenever we deal with such issues, we need to be reminded of our own history. It was during the black-on-black wars that a lot of guns remained in our townships. It was during the black-on-black wars that a lot of parents were killed in our townships. Now, we need to join hands to educate even the voters who vote for the IFP that, it is not only through violence that we resolve contradictions. The issue of violence is not the responsibility of the ANC only, but it is the responsibility of the whole country because our violence is from our communities. [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr M HLENGWA: On a point of order ...

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: The ACDP ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Malaji, would you take your seat, please! Why are rising, hon member?

 

 

Mr M HLENGWA: Will the member take a question?

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Malaji, will you take a question? [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: No, I will invite you to a political school. Not, now. [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon members. Hon members.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Bab’uMalatji ...

 

 

Sesotho:

 

Ntate Malatji ...

 

 

English:

 

Hon Malatji ...

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Thank you very much, Chairperson.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Will you take your seat? There is a point of order.

 

 

Ms N I TARABELLA MARCHESI: Thank you Chair. I just want to ask a question. I would like to ask the member a question.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Malaji, will you take a question?

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: No!

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): He doesn’t want to. Thank you very much, hon member. You can sit. [Interjections.] Hon members!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Thank you very much, hon ... I expected the hon on my left to agree with me because he is also affected by the injustices of the past. Now, hon member, it is very important to agree that we need a curriculum change which will introduce history as a compulsory subject. Through history we will educate our people on where they are from. History is important because it assists to decolonise the present generation of the past.

 

 

When you are asked a question as a young person ... When a young person of Cuba is asked a question: What is your role as a citizen of Cuba? They’ll tell you it is to protect socialism at the highest cost. But when you ask a South African: What is your role as a South African, they’ll not be able to tell you that it is to ensure that you build a nonracial, nonsexist and prosperous society. It is the community that we need to build.

We need to join hands and make sure that we fight to

 

 

conscientise our society to fight against prefects that we have on our left.

 

 

The ANC, through the speech of the President, has committed that, as a way of contributing to make sure they are not left behind, it is going to build specialised schools. ICT is one of the subjects that we need, to move on. The ANC must advance the Cosas programme of one-learner-one-Ipad as a nationwide programme. Hon members, this can be done through a special curriculum which will allow learners to develop expertise in their chosen areas of specialisation with an increased emphasis on special projects and new content of coding and robotics.

 

 

Hon member, one of the biggest things we need to introduce in our schools to try and resolve the issue of violence, is to let each school have a psychologist.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Order, hon member!

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Hon members, as the ANC, we are against the damage to properties by protesters. We fail to understand these corrupt

 

 

toy soldiers. When they protest against service delivery issues, they see it important to burn our schools and libraries. We must unite against a new culture of thuggery that is manufactured to reverse the progress made by the people’s movement, the ANC, funded by agents of regime change here on the left.

 

 

Hon members, it is very important that we understand very well that we never came here to Parliament to make noise and howl. Our responsibility in this multiparty democracy is to make sure that each and every party that is given a certain percentage to be in Parliament is to assist and contribute to building this country. It does not assist to come to Parliament to wear two pieces and overalls, and not contribute to anything. [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr V PAMBO: Chairperson ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Malaji, can you take your seat?

 

 

Mr V PAMBO: Can we assist you, my brother? I think you can adjust yourself so that we can hear you. You are howling. You are howling. Just adjust. [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, that’s not a point of order. [Interjections.]

 

 

Mr V PAMBO: Adjust, chief. Just adjust.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): That’s not a point of order.

 

 

Mr W T LETSIE: Hon Chair.

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Teboho.

 

 

Mr W T LETSIE: Letsie. Thank you, Chair. I think we should allow hon Malaji to finish with this volume because those one can’t hear. So, he is assisting them. [Laughter]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): I’ll take care of that, hon Letsie. I’ll take care of it.

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Hon members, Thomas Sankara once said that an unconscious soldier is a potential criminal. The mistake that was made by people on the left was to rush to come to Parliament before they were conscientised of their responsibilities. The danger of sending criminals to Parliament is that they will not know the importance of us working together. They think the responsibility is to make noise and howl. Hon members, it is very important that we raise this important issue.

 

 

The DA here on the left, know very well that our progressive forces who are the Cuban forces who have assisted us to attain this freedom, have brought each and every avenue for every black child here in the Western Cape to go and study medicine in Cuba because they think that is associated with revolution. With the DA here, at least we can see that a leopard does not change its sports. Even if you try to use vanish on them, they’ll never change their sports.

 

 

Ms S P KOPANE: Chair, on a point of order ...

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon Malaji, will you please take you seat! Hon members, can you listen to the hon member posing a question or interjection?

 

 

Ms S M KOPANE: Chair, I am rising on Rule 84. Hon member here is busy directing fingers and gestures at us. Will you please refrain from that! I am not talking to you. Can you please listen? [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Hon member, can I assist? While Rule 84 considers the unparliamentary language and gestures, the gesture that hon Malaji has made is not provocative. So, it’s not unparliamentary. Continue, hon member.

 

 

Mr T MALATJI: Hon members, as part of nation-building, it is very important that this nation-building is not seen to be made by only those who were oppressed in the past. It is very important, hon Minister, that we introduce a central system of teacher application so that all teachers apply in the same area

 

 

and same place. Then we can have those who are refusing to go and teach in our township ... we can move hon Van der Merwe here to go and teach in Gugulethu and see the kind of conditions they have subjected our people to. It is very important that we rename our schools after our African freedom fighters because gone are those days where we have hoerskool here in South Africa. The child of Verwoerd must be able to write a matric exam in the Ephraim Mogale High School so that he understands very well the importance of understanding other languages. It is very important to have every school having at least one original African language taught here in South Africa so that we do not have a situation where 200 years later, we still have hon Verwoerd who can’t even speak one African language but he says he’s been here for years. It is very important to understand very well that the issue of nation-building cannot be only be left to the ANC but there must be a process that we all work into and join hands to support one another. I support the Budget Vote. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Order, hon members! Can I draw your attention to the following? Hon members,

 

 

interjections in the House are allowed but not to the extent that they should be disruptive and one cannot hear what the speaker is saying. I want to remind you that you are not representing yourself as a Member of Parliament but you are representing a constituency that is listening to and watching you. So please, can we do our things respectfully so that there is progress in the House? I am talking to all members of this House. Thank you very much.

 

 

The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon Chair, let me thank me thank members for the debate and for the inputs that we received from different members. There are a few things that I wanted to raise which members have raised around infrastructure that indeed we believe that the provision and maintenance of infrastructure needs attention. That is why we have developed a programme to revisit the current model and we are working with Treasury and other service providers like the Development Bank of South Africa, DBSA to make sure that we can revamp and improve our performance in that area.

 

 

Also, during this year we have agreed to revamp the National Educating Infrastructure Management System, NEIMS, and we are working on that with the Council of Scientific Industrial Research with the review of redesigning our schools and also making sure that they continue to be appropriate with the changing needs in the curriculum. There were also points which were raised around learners with special needs. I did mention that we have been provided with resources for the first time as the department to really look at the capacity of the sector in dealing with learners with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. We will be monitoring the capacity of provinces.

 

 

Before I close Chair, I want to take this opportunity to thank hon members for the debate, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education and the committee, my former colleague Mr Enver Surty with whom we have started some of the programmes and my current colleague Dr Mhaule. Let me express my appreciation to the members of the Select Committee, the Whips but also to the department in particular the head of department and our officials. I am immensely grateful to our learners who are the core of our business. Our teachers and the teacher

 

 

unions worked very well with us and our principals, parents and school governing bodies continued to make our schools work.

 

 

I also want to thank the other partners in the sector, ie, SA Council of Educators, Sace; Education Labour Relations Council, ELRC, National Education Collaboration Trust, NCET and the Education, Training and Development Practices, EDTP sector. I just want to remind everyone that in the next five years we will find each other. This debate is not a sector debate. The sector itself has a total budget of R281 billion and R256 billion get transferred to the provinces. In addition to the R34 billion we are talking about, R18,6 billion also goes to the provinces.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Iza kusinceda ke le nkcaza ukuze singathethi ngezinto ekungathethwa ngazo.

 

 

English:

 

It is very difficult to engage because people talk about things we are not talking about. Others bring their moral values whereas we are not talking about the morals here, whether it is

 

 

Christians or Muslims. That is immaterial; we are not talking about morals of different people and different parties. We are talking about what is on the budget and not any other things. [Applause.]

 

 

Unfortunately, I think my colleagues from the left expected more. We have been together in the sector and that is why they understand the concurrency of functions. Some of things they are raising may be happening in provinces. That is why we need representation elsewhere because I cannot be reporting on what is happening elsewhere, where the function is located. This is not a sector debate and not a sector budget, therefore let us talk ...

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

Makuthethwe kule ndawo kuthethwa ngayo.

 

 

English:

 

So that I can really appreciate that you understand.

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

 

Eyona nto ndiyiqaphelayo apha kukuba akuqondwa apha, abantu bayathetha njeee.

 

 

English:

 

People are going all over. [Interjections.]

 

 

The ACTING CHAIRPERSON (Mr M L D Ntombela): Order hon members, order.

 

 

The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: They are also using the platform to really be an NCOP where every time comrades from the DA speak, it is about the Western Cape. This is not the NCOP, we are not comparing provinces here. So, if you want other matters about provinces, let us go to the NCOP and then we can tell you which province functions and which one does not. [Interjections.] To opportunistically select what you want to say about Western Cape and you want to compare it to the nation, then you are having a problem. It is a problem of the little mouse DA comparing itself to the elephant. I think you took that thing politically in here. You are comparing the national department to the province of the Western Cape and want us all

 

 

the time to be speaking about the Western Cape as if it is national. It is not national. [Interjections.]

 

 

The DA likes being the bearers of bad news. If there is a crisis in the nation and violence, you will find them jumping around as if everybody is celebrating violence. It is a concern, we are all concern about violence in schools and we should not raise it as if it is something that we enjoy. You like celebrating sad things and we are confronting them. That is why there are soldiers there. They should kill you first.

 

 

The mini-plenary adjourned at: 18:54

 

 

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