Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 5
House: National Assembly
Date of Meeting: 20 May 2021
Summary
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Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY THURSDAY, 20 MAY 2021
Watch video here: Vote No 16 – Basic Education
PROCEEDINGS OF THE MINI PLENARY SESSION - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAMBER
Members of the mini plenary session met on the virtual platform at 16:30.
The House Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation
The House Chairperson announced that the virtual mini plenary sitting constituted a meeting of the National Assembly.
VIRTUAL SITTING RULES
(Announcement)
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr M G Boroto): Hon members, before we proceed, I would like to remind you that the virtual mini plenary is deemed to be in the precinct of Parliament and
constitute a meeting of the National Assembly for debating purposes only. In addition to the Rule of virtual sittings, the Rules of the National Assembly including the Rules of debate shall apply. Members enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply in the sitting of the National Assembly. Members should equally note that anything said in the virtual platform is deemed to have been said to the House and may be ruled upon.
All members who have logged in shall be considered to be present and are requested to mute their microphones and only unmute it when recognized to speak. This is because these microphones are very sensitive and will pick up noise which might disturb the attention of other members. When recognised to speak, please unmute your microphone and connect your video. Members may make use of the icons on the bar at the bottom of their screens which has an option that allows a member to put his or her hand to raise a point of order. The Secretariat will assist in alerting the Chairperson to members requesting to speak.
When using the virtual system, members are urged to refrain or desist from unnecessary points of order or interjections. We
shall now proceed to the Order, which is debate on Vote 16 – Basic Education Appropriation Bill. I will at this juncture welcome the Minister of Basic Education.
APPROPRIATION BILL
Budget Vote 16 – Basic Education:
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Thank you very much, hon House Chair, Cabinet colleagues and Deputy Ministers present, hon members, distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the entire Basic Education sector, we wish to thank the National Assembly for inviting us to table our 2021-22 Budget Vote 16 on Basic Education.
House Chair and hon members, as much as the Basic Education sector, working with its partners from teacher unions, national governing bodies, associations, civic society, and the public and private sectors to save the academic year of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on our sector.
The analysis we made, for instance, on Persal, shows that between last year and up to February 2021, we lost about 1 678 educators. Unfortunately, the sector lost the MEC for Education in the Northern Cape, the Superintendent-General of the Eastern Cape Education Department, and the President of the National Teachers’ Union, NATU, who all succumbed to
COVID-19. We continue to say; may their souls rest in peace.
We also lost lots of learning and teaching time and also as critical part of what is now an unforeseen “new normal”, where adjustments and reprioritization of the state’s prioritised programmes, and budgets. Consequently, the Department of Basic Education, DBE, and its statutory bodies endured budget cuts, like all other departments and their statutory bodies.
Therefore, Chair, the adjustments that were effected to the 2020 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, budget allocations, which changed the baseline allocations for the ensuing MTEF period, have a direct bearing on this budget allocation we are presenting today. We however, wish to thank the National Treasury for also assisting us in cushioning the sector in some of its key programmes. Firstly, let me indicate that the overall 2021-22 MTEF budget allocation is
R27 billion, which is an increase of 15,5% from the 2020-21 revised overall baseline budget allocation.
Secondly, the overall allocation for Conditional Grants is R20,7 billion, which is an increment of 20,2% from the revised baseline. House Chair, we wish to acknowledge the allocation of R16,2 million as the general budget support for the DBE’s Systematic Improvement of Language and Numeracy in Foundation Phase; as well as the R19,9 million for Technology for Grade
7-9. These two new allocations will go a long way in ensuring the roll-out of these two key strategic programmes.
Thirdly, the overall allocation for Earmarked Funding is R3,7 billion, an increase of 5,7% from last year’s revised baseline.
Fourthly, transfer payments are allocated R1,6 billion, an increment of 1,4% from last year’s revised baseline.
Fifthly, during the presentation of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, MTBPS, in October 2020, the Minister of Finance did announce that the Basic Education sector was allocated R7 billion to implement the Presidential Youth
Employment Initiative, PYEI, which we branded as the Basic Education Employment Initiative, BEEI. The R7 billion was equitably distributed as follows: national retained
R1,2 billion for project management, support and monitoring oversight, just less than R6,9 billion was equitably distributed throughout the provinces; additionally, to some of the equitable shares, the payment of stipends for Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, saving of School Governing Bodies, SGBs- appointed posts; saving posts in state-funded private schools; management at the provincial level; and the training of the youth in the programme.
R2,4 billion of this allocation was earmarked to secure the SGB-appointed educator posts in fee-paying public schools, and educator posts in state subsidised independent schools. These posts were under threat as schools were experiencing financial distress as a result of parents being unable to pay school fees, because of the economic devastation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this initiative, 27 662 posts which were under threat.
House Chair and hon members, it gives me pleasure to report that through this initiative, we were able to create about
320 315 employment opportunities for young people. The strategic realignment of the Basic Education sector priorities for the Sixth Administration ...
Hon members, we must remind ourselves and the nation about the six Basic Education sector priorities that we have committed ourselves to in order to lay a solid foundation for quality and efficient education system, as well as to contribute to providing permanent solutions to the architecture of the education and training system of our country. We therefore, wish to remind this House that our action plan for 2024: “Towards the Realization of Schooling in 2020”, is giving expression to our sector priorities, anchored on our Constitution, which declares education is an alienable right; the directive of the National Development Plan, NDP, which says, and I quote:
By 2030, South Africans should have access to education and training of the highest quality, leading to significantly improved learning outcomes.
The need expressed in the Continental Education Strategy for Africa, CESA, and I quote:
To orientate Africa’s education and training systems to meet the knowledge, competencies, kills, innovation and creativity required to nurture the African core values, and promote sustainable development at the national, subregional, and continental levels.
Reflecting on the UNESCO, especially Sustainable Development Goal 4, SDG4, which calls for, I quote: “An inclusive, quality and equitable education and lifelong opportunities for all”.
... the NDP, our continental and international conventions do provide us with the moral imperative and a mandate to government to make the social justice principles of access, redress, equity, efficiency, inclusivity and quality and educational opportunities widely available to all citizens.
House Chair and hon members, I want to reflect on a few of the points that we have identified as the sector and the other points, we have agreed with the Deputy Minister to raise them. The first one I want to look at is Early Childhood Development, ECD. As you noted we have agreed on the relocation of Early Childhood Development from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education.
This included strategically ramping up the provision of ECD, particularly the urgent implementation of the two years of ECD before Grade 1; and the provision of quality ECD programmes for 0-4-year-olds.
We must concede that the complexities of the ECD space, though not overwhelming, needed more time to substantively address.
We had to contend with the legal and policy realities, organisational and structural arrangements, budgets and employment imperatives, provisioning and programmatic challenges, and many more. I am happy to report that with my colleagues, the two Ministries, have managed to crack the codes on many fronts in the ECD space, for instance, the systematic process for the relocation of ECD from the DSD to the DBE is at an advanced stage. The Office of the Chief State Law Advisors has granted us with the Socioeconomic Impact Assessment System, SEIAS, certificate for the proclamation to regularise the ECD relocation to the national level, which will be signed by the President. In return, the certificates have also been awarded to regularize the ECD function shift at the provincial level, which will be signed by the different premiers. It is anticipated that the ECD relocation from the DSD to the DBE will be effected from 01 April 2022.
Eight workstreams have been established and are very busy at work. Amongst others, their focus is on legal matters; human resource development and management; finance; infrastructure; monitoring and evaluation; governance, curriculum and services; communication; as well as health and nutrition; and they are in the process of finalizing their work. The workstreams will submit their reports as expected, by June 2021.
The DBE has further developed a vision for ECD relocation and delivery, amongst others. This vision acknowledges that the long history of unequal provision of ECD in South Africa; and recognises the journey to achieve the objectives of universal access to quality ECD programmes in the next 10 years. There are five strategic areas that have been identified for improving the quality of ECD in South Africa, which will supplement the reports from the eight workstreams.
Finally, to cater for the two years of ECD prior to Grade 1, section 3 on compulsory attendance of the South African Schools Act, is in the process of being amended through the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill, which as soon as it is signed by the President, attendance at Grade R classes by
children, who are or who will be turning six years of age will be compulsory. Systematically, this will be followed by the introduction of compulsory attendance in Grade RR classes by children who will be turning five years of age.
The second sector priority, House Chair and hon members, is that of the strategic implementation of a curriculum with skills and competencies of a challenging world in all our public schools. Last year, I reported that we were preparing the sector for the piloting of the coding and robotics curriculum from Grade R-7. Today, I wish to report that the draft National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, CAPS, documents for Grades R-9 have been submitted to Umalusi for appraisal and quality assurance. On 19 March 2020, we gazetted the draft coding and robotics curriculum for public comments. In preparation for training of officials, we have appointment a service provider. Thanks to the support and help by the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority, ETDP Seta. The service level agreements have been concluded. We wish to thank the Seta for making available resources for this endeavour.
We are happy to announce that the Sasol Foundation, did fund the orientation of the coding and robotics for the National Training Team, NTT, which was held from 8th to the 19th March. A state-of-the-art digital platform has been developed for training of teachers, orientation materials, lesson plans and coding programmes, have been uploaded onto this digital platform. During one of the speeches I made last year, I stressed that my department’s commitment to the expansion of the programme to strategically implement a curriculum with skills and competencies for a changing world in all public schools. In pursuit of this, I am pleased to announce the introduction of a new Further Education and Training, FET, level subject; Marine Sciences. This is a very welcome addition to the bouquet of subjects we already offer; and it is particularly relevant to our NDP goals, since the Ocean Economy contributes over six billion US dollars toward our country’s gross domestic product, GDP.
In March 2021, the CAPS for Marine Sciences, was uploaded to the DBE website. The first cohort of 13 Grade 12 learners from South Peninsula High School, will be writing Marine Sciences as part of their 2021 exams. Examination guidelines have been
prepared and distributed, and potential experts who can be appointed as examiners and moderators have been identified.
Since the 2019 pilot, we are happy to report that the intake in Marine Sciences has since increased to more than 300 Grades 10s and 11s. As a high school subject offering, South Africa can be proud that the offering of Marine Sciences is a world first; as other countries only provide Marine Biology and Oceanography to tertiary level students.
House Chair, we are collaborating with the Department of Transport to finalise the draft Aviation Curriculum to ensure that the draft curriculum is aligned to the CAPS policy. The appointment of a service provider to develop Practical Assessment Tasks for this aviation curriculum has been advertised. We are proud that the country will introduce another uniquely South African subject offering, that includes occupational work areas within the aviation milieu.
It is with pleasure to inform this House that guidelines for the establishment and management of focus schools have been produced on time in December 2020, after extensive consultations. Focus schools are being established to cater
for learners with special talents and aptitudes across a wide range of scholastic endeavours. These schools will constitute a legislative distinct category of public schools that offer a specialised curriculum oriented towards 11 learning fields.
Some of these fields are Agriculture, Marine, Maritime and Nautical Science, Maths, Science & Technology, as well as Technical Occupational disciplines such as Electrical, Civil and Mechanical Technologies.
On occupational subjects, a total of 103 schools in all nine provinces have been audited to pilot occupational subjects. The CAPS for year 1-4 for Grades 8 and 9 has been developed, and submitted to Umalusi for appraisal and quality assurance. In preparation for the pilot, materials have been developed.
House Chair, in 2019, we hosted the roundtable for the Mobile Network Operators and other information communications technologies, ICTs, players to map a plan for delivering of ICT solutions to special schools. Since then, we have provided
109 special schools with the ICT devices, assistive technologies, as well as appropriate software for teaching and learning. Vodacom, MTN, Liquid Telkom and Cell C have all made great contribution towards this endeavour Furthermore, all
special schools have been provided with connectivity, though not broadband connectivity, as part of the USAO rollout.
Last year, I had reported to this House that the ministerial task team on the development of History for Grade 4 to 12 had developed the History content framework for Grade 4-12, including the reviewing of topics, the historiography, material culture and archaeology, African history, heritage and local history, including labour history; language, gender and culture history, inland history, and world history.
Since 2020, the ministerial task team has been consulting with reference teams, comprising of teachers and subject specialists on pedagogy, historical skills and assessment to strengthen the History content framework. The ministerial task team is currently engaged in a dedicated writing session, to sequence and package the identified content, to ensure alignment in terms of articulation, sequencing, progression, and conceptual development.
The next area that I quickly want to refer to is the introduction to African languages to schools which were not teaching African languages. This was initiated in 2013. I also
want to report that all our key subjects have been piloted in
213 schools, and the idea is to take more schools through the programme. The programme targeted 2 500 schools that are not offering African languages. Already, the group that we piloted in 2014-15 in this 264 schools are already in the intermediate phase.
House Chair, we strategically decided to expand the list of languages offer. In our list, we have added the Khoi, Nama, San languages, as well as the South African Sign Language, SASL, into our curriculum. The Constitution does mandate us to promote and create conditions for the development and the use of all African languages. You’ll recall again that we have also indicated our intention to introduce Kiswahili in our schools as a Second Additional Language, SAL. We know that we will be going a long way in promoting social cohesion and also assisting in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, but because of the COVID-19 challenges, we had to only focus on areas that were ready to focus. As such, Kiswahili was left aside. We will pursue it further.
House Chair, as I said, we were supposed to pilot Kiswahili but plans had to be thwarted because of COVID-19. As a result,
the primary focus for schools has been ready on the teaching of Home Languages and First Additional Languages.
The final sector priority that I want to refer to, Chair, is about dealing decisively with the quality and efficiency through the implementation of standardised assessments for Grades 3, 6 and 9; and the offer of a General Education Certificate, GEC, before the Grade 9 so that children are not exposed to exams only when they go to Grade 12.
I can see the Chair is getting impatient. Let me finalize Chair. Finally, we have already produced a framework for the General Education Certificate, and Umalusi is in the process of evaluating it. We will be gazetting it and invite comments on it. It will be implemented quiet soon. We will keep the House updated.
Let me run quickly to the next paragraph before I thank the people that have assisted us. It is also that because we have finalized the draft National Assessment Framework, NAF, which will serve to co-ordinate all assessments conducted in the GEC.
Let me move to the next page quickly. I really want to take this opportunity thank the officials of the department and the Study Group for all the support and the guidance but also our MECs in provinces, which have been very helpful and instrumental in the work that we are doing. I really want to thank you more sincerely, Chair. Thank you very much.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto.): Once every speaker is left with one minute, I will switch on my video. Once is on, you must know you have one-minute left.
Ms N J ADOONS: Hon Chairperson, let me greet the hon Minister, Mme Angi Motshega, the Deputy Minister, hon Regina Mahaule, Ministers and Deputy Ministers present in the meeting, hon Members of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Members of Parliament present in the meeting, the Director-General, Mr Muweli, and all South Africans, good afternoon. Hon Chairperson, the Freedom Charter remains a loadstar policy document which guides policies of the ANC. It provides a clause that says, and I quote, “all the doors of learning and culture shall be open.”
This undertaking has been the main thrust of ensuring access to education for all, and is one of the Bill of Rights enshrined in our Constitution. The Department of Basic Education and its entities have tabled their Amended Strategic Plan, Annual Performance Plan, APP, and the Budget Vote. The entities such Umalusi and the SA Council for Educators, SACE, have been allocated budgets which supports their mandate.
These entities are critical in supporting the education sector and the department, to ensure the quality of teachers, their conduct and the quality of the education standards.
Our education sector has been embroiled in incidents which have brough about pain in the system. We lost educators, department officials due to COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent suicide by the learner of Mbilwi Secondary School, the late Lefuno Mavhunga, due to bullying by her peers. This brings about sorrow in our hearts. We mourn with the families and we hope they find comfort.
We applaud all stakeholder in the sector who have ensured that our education system continues under difficult conditions of the pandemic, the smooth reopening of schools and relatively smooth admission processes. We also acknowledge the efforts of
the department and school’s management teams in this regard. The department has made amendments which relate to targets of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework, MTSF, which have changed.
This includes the change in the deadline of the Early Childhood Development, ECD, migration from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education to be concluded by 2022. The target for learning outcomes in Grade 6 mathematics and reading according to the international Southern Africa
Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality, SACMEQ, has moved from 2020 to 2022. The Second Chance Matric Programme has been redesigned and reconfigured to include a new indicator, introduce a programme to train unemployed youths in general maintenance of schools. At least 710 young people should be trained within the 71 education districts.
The other change is on the whole impact been revised from learners and teachers feel respected and learning improves by 2024. To improved quality of teaching and learning through provision of appropriate infrastructure. All these changes are taking into consideration of the practicality of delivery. Hon Chairperson, the department has its own challenges which the portfolio committee has raised. We are confident that the
department will focus and address all the critical issues which have been raised to it.
The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, having considered Budget Vote 16, together with the Annual Performance Plan of the department, recommended that the Minister of Basic Education ensure the following: That the department ensure that the reports reach the committee seven days in advance, the department ensure that structural support is provided for migration of ECD to the Department of Basic Education, that the department in partnership with Department of Higher Education and Training plays a role to ensure that the issue of learner registration in Higher Education at the beginning of each year, is dealt with systematically.
Also, that the department keep committee abreast on progress with regards to coding and robotics, the department ensure that the Provincial Education Departments, PEDs, that are struggling in respect of infrastructure projects, work in collaboration with other PEDs to yield the desired results. The department must ensure that, with regards to infrastructure backlogs, that the implementing agents are held accountable to the extent that those that are unreliable are
taken off the system, so that they cannot continue and they should be deregistered.
The department was urged to ensure that they appoint credible engineers as project managers, so that issues of infrastructure are dealt with, the department keep the committee updated on a monthly and quarterly basis, to the extent to which progress is achieved, and also report on infrastructure grant, Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI, and Sanitation Appropriate for Education, SAFE. The department must ensure that Provincial Education Departments are compliant with the COVID-19 regulations, also considering that, there might be an anticipated third wave.
The department must ensure that provincial departments planned effectively for COVID–19, put measures in place in schools to maintain the social distance, safety protocols and staggering of classes so that learners are not accommodated in overcrowded classrooms. The department must ensure that assistance and support for learners with special educational needs are prioritised, and that they are provided with necessary resources. Further, recommendation also alluded to
the need for review of learner transport, to ensure learners safety to and from schools.
The department in collaboration with the Department of Health, should ensure that everyone is healthy, in collaboration with Department of Social Development, the issue of psycho–social support is addressed. With regards to South African Council for Educators, SACE, the portfolio committee recommended that: The SACE should ensure that offices are established in the remaining provinces where they were not accessible, for the SACE to ensure that they bring online registration of teachers, and vetting of registered educators on board, including teachers in remote or rural areas.
The SCA should ensure that teachers are identified as early and when they accomplish the qualification that they get and are registered. In line with SACE program on professional development, the committee made recommendations for training of ECD care givers be given priority. The SACE ensures that they support professionalisation of the ECD practitioners below NQF level 4, to acquire a qualification at NQF level 4. On the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, Umalusi, the portfolio committee
recommended that: Umalusi should ensure that the council maintain the clean audit status as the entity is performing very well.
Umalusi should ensure that the vacancies are filled and closed, and also, they must ensure that staff salaries to be on par with public service to avoid movement of people to other organisation, a situation that impacts on their staffing. In conclusion, Chair, having satisfied itself in its engagement with the Department of Basic Education and its entities on their Annual Performance Plan and the budget, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education recommends that the House adopts and approves Budget Vote 16 on Basic Education.
The ANC supports this Budget Vote as it responds to the key areas the department needs to ensure for access to quality education for all. I thank you, Chairperson
Mr B B NODADA: House Chairperson, hon members, fellow South Africans, good afternoon, it is that time of the year again where the governing party comes to Parliament to deliver targets that do not offer tangible change to anyone’s life on the grounds. It is that time of the year again where we are
offered empty promises combined with shrinking budgets. It is that time of the year again where inefficiency and lack of funds will be blamed on COVID-19 rather than the grim reality of failing department’s funds being stolen by cadres or money being thrown into empty pits failed state-owned enterprises, SOEs. It is that time of the year again where the department aims to paint a different picture of the South African realities and sell us funny seeds of success and achievement.
The reality is a stark contrast to the one you and I live – the reality that our children live is the one where these promises only yield poverty and unemployment. Government’s capability is desolate, where they have grand plans of smart cities yet our children attend school in mud schools; where they seek to develop bullet trains yet our children die in pit toilets. Where they have plans of creating jobs, yet more and more young people are unemployed and consigned to a lifetime of poverty. All of this because of government’s poor implementation of quality education policies where teachers cannot pass the very same exam they have set for their learners.
The largest obstacles to redressing the legacies of the past and creating a society of opportunity irrespective of one’s background, is repairing our failing education system and replacing its failing leaders. In the coming weeks of June, many cadres will boldly commemorate the youth of 1976. I can’t help but think of how you are spectacularly failing the legacy of the young people of 1976. You are failing those who bravely fought against Bantu Education by giving the youth of today poor quality education that is irrelevant for industry, the job market, entrepreneurship and an education that is extremely behind on innovation.
Minister, you are supposed to free us from Bantu Education, instead you have sustained it, it seems - if not exacerbated, especially in the most rural forgotten parts of our country of which I come from. As the ANC government, you are carefully controlling our generation, and those who come after us by not educating us, but miseducating us while at the same time creating high levels of dependency - all to achieve your agenda of control over us. Outcome 4 of the department’s annual performance plans, APP, refers to creating a schooling system that leaves you more prepared to contribute to a prosperous South Africa.
The reality is this though, over 10 million South Africans that are educated or skilled can’t find work. Over 60% of them are young people. This outcome for the ANC is a mere... [Interjections.] ... Outcome 3 of the APP seeks to better prepare the youth for studies beyond Grade 9. Based on youth employability, we can see that this programme has failed, yet we still boast about 44,1% real matric pass rate. Of this, over half a million drop out of the education system to form part of the 8 million youth who are not in education, in employment or in skills training. No matter how you look at it, the basic education system needs a different type of leadership approach, budgeting and effective policy implementation that would tangibly change young people’s lives for the better.
You are going to say that the DA is making noise or complaining, unfortunately this is the reality on the ground. Minister, today you are here to deliver a speech filled with more promises, yet the target set in the previous APPs have not been fully met, and some of them have been tweaked to be targets that you can meet, even though they don’t tangibly change anyone’s life on the ground - especially on quality teaching, the infrastructure that’s dilapidating, scholar
transport and school nutrition that has been cut, vandalism and high dropout rate, yet the budget has been significantly cut to fund failing SOEs.
Having visited seven provinces doing oversight with my colleague, Desiree van der Walt, only 30 schools have been built according to you and completed through the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, Asidi. And you have only targeted 21 schools that are predicted to be built in this financial year of 2021-22, yet we have a school that has been excluded from the programme that was budgeted for – the tender was taken. The school is called E T Thabane in my constituency in Ugie, with dilapidated asbestos classrooms where the Department of Environmental Affairs even came and closed down the school because it was unsafe for learners and it is falling apart. The unfortunate part is that
1 800 learners go to that school because it is the only non- fee paying school in the town and it is not being prioritised in this budget and in fact cut.
We have Masinakane special school – you can ask your MEC in Mpumalanga - where classrooms have been converted to a hostel for students living with disabilities or disabled learners.
They have been converted to classrooms because the teachers do not ... [Interjections.] ...these learners, they write to education. Despite promises of a hostel being built year-on year. We have schools like Homevale in the Northern Cape that I visited, and the infrastructure is falling apart. There is a bridge that is barricaded and can fall any day and it is unsafe for learners. Not even to mention the multiples schools that we visited in the Harry Gwala District in KwaZulu-Natal that are made of mud. Well, they argue that it is not mud its inappropriate structures. The reality is “ludaka” [mud]- it is mud. There are over 180 reported schools with infrastructure related issues, yet only 30 of them have been budgeted for in the cycle.
The Budget Vote only makes provision for providing water to a
125 schools and sanitation to 691 schools. Funny enough, in the question that I asked in Parliament indicated that no schools have issues with water except Limpopo, but we see that there are over 2 000 of them that have been reported. The APP indicates that you only aim to target 1 000 schools with pit toilets yet over 2 111 of them have been reported despite your promises of eradicating this through the safe programme by last year already. No matter how you avoid addressing these
issues Minister, you can’t run away from the stench of the unsafe toilets of Grade R learners of Mmadit?hika Primary school in Limpopo who are the risk of being the next to die in a pit toilet. What is the most painful is that R1 billion has been cut from this budget from the department just to bail out a failed entity like the SA Airways, SAA. What is more concerning is that the department spends three times more money building a school because of the risk of not paying on time and appointing contractors that cannot do the work. I visited Vezimfundo Primary School in Mpumalanga that is built on a wetland for a whopping R32 million. This surely cannot be right. Seven thousand, two hundred and thirty-seven schools have been identified to be having no fencing, which further contributes to the vandalism and theft we are experiencing in schools.
The Budget Vote does not address vandalism, insecurity and theft of school property. This means that we are not protecting the current existing assets and properties. While burglaries rise and classrooms are being vandalised, then we spend millions repairing what was there than replacing dilapidated asbestos and mud schools like in Harry Gwala and E T Thabane.
Outcome 5 of the APP focus on creating a safe physical infrastructure that encourages learners to learn. And I can tell you, you can go to the Eastern cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and all the provinces, there are schools that have been identified – over 180 of them – and that does not have proper infrastructure, and ultimately discourages learners of achieving. Nationally, there are 135 000 eligible learners for scholar transport that are not being catered for, and we have not seen this in the budget, which further exacerbates dropouts and that is why half of the leaners do not actually even get to matric.
There has been a reduction in the school nutrition programme by R123 million. The effects of this is that the programme’s extension to include breakfast and provide meals to selected learners in quantile 4 and 5 will be slower. I visited Nevillezicht High School in the Free State where they were given 105 leaners that were unplaced from poor backgrounds who depend on the school nutrition but because of budget cuts these learners have been left without their daily meals.
This is just a practical example I am giving you Minister, that you and I know you can be able to go and address. The
department is plagued with corruption and there is little consequence management to prevent this. Just this week, the Eastern Cape education officials have been arrested for defrauding the department of millions. Why must we lose millions to corruption before we take action. You know what is funny Minister - one of them who has been arrested was convincing all of us in the portfolio committee when we visited E T Thabane as to why there is no money to build, when he has stolen it. And there is COVID-19 – R431 million in just three months for deep cleaning and there is over R500 million for overpriced personal protective equipment, PPE – and the list goes on. Through our oversight visits in schools, the teachers have indicated how impractical it is to complete the curriculum. And we commend them for going an extra mile during this difficult time. But Minister, I beg you, please release a clear plan for vaccination of teachers, which is the only solution of getting back to any form of normality and stop this thing of shutting down non-contact sports and all these decisions that are made, because we need the vaccine.
I want to tell you that the DA believes that education is a foundation of opportunity. We propose the following solutions because we don’t just come here and tell you the issues, but
we are trying to give you solutions that accompany your APP and budget in order for us to deal with the future of this country in a high quality manner.
The DA believes we can fix our education system, and we can do so by fixing our failing administration and show our budget spend on infrastructure such as pit toilets, asbestos and mud schools, access to water as a first line of defence in COVID-
19 through improving teaching and learning and education outcomes through bold reforms. South Africans should have access to education and training of the highest quality, leading to significantly improved learning outcomes and quality of life. Minister, firstly, we encourage you to engage National Treasury on the Asidi programme of other sources of funding to ensure that the dilapidated mud and asbestos classrooms are eradicated. Secondly, fast-track the Sanitation Appropriate For Education, Safe, programme to ensure that no child dies in a pit toilet by increasing your targets.
Mrs M R MOHLALA: Chairperson, our basic education system is broken down the middle, and the ability of the department to fix it is perpetuating inequality in this country. The Covid-
19 pandemic demonstrated for all to see that well-resourced
schools, with properly trained teachers and social support services for both learners and teachers, can withstand almost any challenge.
While schools were closed during level 5 lockdown, many well to do schools managed to keep learning going, while millions of poor black students in townships and villages had nowhere to go. At the end of each year, we see the exclusive Independent Examination Board schools prospering, because they are able to put the basic structures needed for a prospering education system in place.
Many public schools continue to operate under the logic of colonialism and apartheid - so many years after democracy - with schools serving white communities properly resourced and schools serving black communities being no different to dumping sites. As a consequence, today a child’s experience of education still very much depends on where they are born, how wealthy they are, and the colour of their skin.
We still have two education systems in one. One is white, well-resourced and prosperous; and the other is black, under- resourced, and forever in crisis: Lack of school
infrastructure; non-delivery of textbooks; unqualified teachers and shortage of qualified teachers; poor mathematics and physics teaching; violence inside classrooms; and all these are problems exclusively faced by schools that cater for black children.
Schools in rural areas, in townships and in farms, which cater primarily for black and poor leaners, are littered with problems of underperformance, of poorly trained teachers. And, as we have argued before, the department has done very little to stem the tide of dropouts in these poor schools.
Every year for the past seven years, we have noted that only half of those who enter Grade 1 are able to finish their Grade
12. Almost half-a-million learners get lost to the system every single year. They will grow up to be unskilled, unemployed and unemployable. All of them are black. A black government makes it difficult for these half-a-million black learners to get an education.
Apartheid may have fallen from statute books, but it is very much alive in the manner we provide education to our children.
There are many causes for this, which are solvable if the department can get its house in order.
These are: Pervasive poverty which makes it difficult even for the most capable of learners to focus productively on their school work; undue influence of SA Democratic Teachers’ Union, Sadtu, over the functioning of schools, to an extent that they have practically taken over powers to even appoint teachers; poor planning and execution of existing plans; this leads to such terrible deeds such as non-delivery of text books, poor school infrastructure, and no interventions at chronically poor performing schools; deeply embedded corruption and ineptitude within the department, leading to employment of unqualified teachers to teach leaners in rural provinces; and lastly, lack of content knowledge by the teachers of the very subjects they are meant to teach.
These problems require comprehensive solutions, one that won’t be implemented by the department of education alone, but which must be led by it. This is what needs to happen to solve basic education problems in this country. The department must lead a process to restore back the dignity of teaching. This must
entail reviewing the salaries of teachers, to ensure that they are properly paid.
There must be universal standards for quality basic education for all. This must mean that there must be the same norms and standards for school infrastructure, for Learning and Teacher Support Materials, for provisioning for pupils with disabilities across all schools, be they rural or urban.
There must be a comprehensive review of the funding model for schools. The current funding model promotes inequality. Well to do public schools are allowed to charge school fees to make up for the inadequacy of government funding, while poor schools are made to be no-fee schools, with very little government support. Quality of education must never be directly proportional to wealth; it must be universal.
Addressing the problems thoroughly will ensure that we tackle with the problems of basic education in a comprehensive manner, and are not only fixated with matric pass rates, but with the quality of the education system in its entirety. We reject this Budget Vote. Thank you.
Mr S L NGCOBO: Thank you very, hon House Chairperson. The Minister for the Department of Basic Education and the Deputy Minister and hon members, the Department of Basic Education is critical to the future of our country. As such, anything that happens to this department has immediate and long-term implications for South Africa. It is sad that this department has been one of the biggest casualties of the coronavirus disease 2019, Covid-19, pandemic. Since 2020, our children have not received meaningful learning due to ongoing disruptions to their learning as a result of the pandemic.
They have been deprived for the most part of their right to learn due to the lockdown.
This has implications for the future direction of this country. As such, one would have expected a robust response from this department to the pandemic. One would have expected all funds made available to this department to be utilised optimally to ensure the provision of quality basic education for all children. However, the department has not fully mitigated the implications of the pandemic due to uncertainties in its response. As a result, rural learners have mostly lost out, putting their future in jeopardy and increasing inequalities.
The IFP calls on this department to fulfil its medium-term plans to provide proper school infrastructure, high-quality support materials for learners and teachers, and to provide nutritious meals for learners. It goes without saying that the economic implications of the pandemic have a negative effect on our poor communities and that our learners look to this department for the provision of not only their education but also their meals. The department must not let them down.
The department must deliver on its promise to provide learners with access to appropriate and safe infrastructure at schools, through the Education Infrastructure Backlogs Grant. It is unacceptable that more than 20 years into this democracy, we still face the shameful reality of mud schools and open pit toilets, which not only ravage the dignity of our learners but also cause tragic losses of lives. This is an indictment on this department and the government.
The department must thrive to make it possible for our rural learners to receive quality education. The conditions of our rural learners must be improved so that they don’t have to walk long distances to school. The scholar transport obligation must be fulfilled, as ordered by the High Court in
KwaZulu-Natal. The conditions of work for our teachers must also be improved, to enable them to deliver fully on their promise to educate this nation. Hence, textbooks and other necessities must never be in short supply and should arrive on time. The department must go Back to Basics, as its name suggests. Getting the basics right in this Department will go a long way in enhancing basic education in this country. Hon members, the IFP accepts the budget. Thank you very much, hon House Chairperson.
Afrikaans:
Dr W J BOSHOFF: Agb Huisvoorsitter, die VF Plus is deeglik bewus daarvan dat onderwys ’n uiters veeleisende oefening in logistiek, eiendomsbestuur en personeelbestuur is. Die R28 miljard rand wat die nasionale Departement van Basiese Onderwys bestee, is maar die oortjies van die seekoei. Die eintlike werk en besteding word deur die provinsies gedoen.
Dit is nie verkeerd om die nasionale Departement van Basiese Onderwys vir dienslewering op die grond verantwoordbaar te hou nie. Die bevoegdhede wat provinsies het, is immers deur die nasionale departement na hulle gedelegeer.
Die beginsel van subsidiariteit is egter veel meer vanpas vir Suid-Afrika. Dit hou in dat alle gesag op die laagste moontlike vlak uitgeoefen word. Slegs dit wat plaaslik nie gedoen kan word nie, word na die volgende vlak opgewentel.
Die tipiese dorp in Suid-Afrika het ’n kerk en ’n skool. Die verskille in bestuur tussen die twee is opvallend. Die kerklike gemeenskap is ’n selfstandige eenheid. Slegs probleme gaan na die ring; en die sinode besluit oor so min sake, dat tweejaarlikse byeenkomste van ’n week lank voldoende is.
In die skool is dit teenoorgesteld. Die nasionale departement besluit in besonderhede wat skole moet doen en wanneer.
Provinsies, distrikte en kringe is maar net agentskappe om nakoming op skoolvlak te verseker.
Die professionele onderwyser het nie toesig nodig nie, tel nie ure haarfyn op en vergelyk dit met die werkkontrak nie, staak nie as hy of sy nie hulle sin kry nie. Hulle volvoer ’n roeping.
In werklikheid gaan dit oor die beeld van onderwys in ’n mens se opvatting daarvan. Is skool ‘n burgeroorlog tussen
grootmense en kinders? Is dit ‘n bondgenootskap tussen die ouerhuis en die staat? Is dit die slagveld vir politieke bevryding? Is dit die plek waar die staat kinders vat en hulle herprogrammeer?
Dit is hierdie vertrekpunte wat selde gedebatteer word. Vir die VF Plus is die kind deel van ’n gesin; die gesin deel van ’n gemeenskap; die gemeenskap deel van ’n volk, die volk deel van ’n staat. Onderwys is die geïnstitusionaliseerde deel van opvoeding – die deel waar die staat betrek word.
In die skool word die kind voorberei om eendag ’n goeie burger te wees, maar ook om eendag ’n deelnemer aan die ekonomie te wees, maar ook om ’n goeie lid van die gemeenskap te wees, maar ook om sy of haar unieke aard te verwesenlik. ’n Belangrike vraag is of die staat werklik ’n oorheersende rol hierin behoort te speel.
Skole wat goeie resultate lewer in al die sienings van wat ’n skool behoort te doen, behoort grootliks deur die staat uitgelos te word. Tans word hulle egter aan ’n ouditkultuur onderwerp, wat van ’n onderwyser meer ’n administrateur as ’n
opvoeder maak. Hoekom? Dalk om te kyk of hulle steeds die smalle weg van die staatsideologie betree of bewandel?
Aan die ander kant van die spektrum is daar skole waar resultate en omstandighede mens tot trane sal beweeg. Dit is waar onderwysers met ’n industriële beeld werk, waar die departement die bestuur is en onderwysers die werkers, en waar toutrekkery oor geld, werksure en verpligtinge ’n permanent aan die gang is. In sulke skole is vakbonde soms magtiger as die staat. Ek verwys na die Volmink-verslag oor die verkoop van poste en wonder hoekom daar steeds nie opgetree is nie.
Onafhanklike onderwys word al belangriker. Nie net peperduur skole in idilliese omgewings vir die superrykes nie. Ook gewone mense in die kwynende middelklas vra hulleself af of die staat nog iets tot die vennootskap tussen ouerhuis en staat bydra; of daar nie ander instellings is wat die plek van die staat kan inneem nie, wat beheer oor onderwys neem, nie vanuit hulle oorvloed nie, maar deur die versigtige hertoedeling van hulle beperkte bronne.
English:
In September last year, the Minister responded to my question on collaborative home-schooling. That is where more than one family co-operate in providing education to their children.
Currently, authorities only recognize single-family home- schools and independent schools. Your response, hon Minister, was that organised representatives should approach your department on the matter, the importance of which is evident.
Liberty in Learning is an alliance of such organised interest groups, which wrote to your department that very day. Since then they had been sent from pillar to post, without any progress. My sincere request to you is to facilitate this discussion. Because what we need, is communities which are enabled to take responsibility for the education of their young ones. Counter intuitive as it may be, such a policy creates social cohesion across communities. Let us not follow the depressive policies, which destroys it. Thank you, hon House Chair.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Greetings to you House Chair, our Minister Angie Motshekga and other Ministers if they are in the meeting, the chairperson and members of the portfolio committee and members of the National Assembly,
leaders in the Basic Education sector led by the DG Mr Mweli, ladies and gentlemen.
As we are all aware that this year the country is celebrating Charlotte Maxeke under the theme of Unity renewal and reconstruction. The significance of celebrating this brave woman in this occasion is timely. Charlotte Maxeke was the first South African woman to have a university degree, and not just a degree but a Bachelor of Science in the University of Wilberforce.
Mme Charlotte demonstrated to us that education would ever remain important especially for women and girls as it enables families to escape the poverty trap and reduce the dependency syndrome. This is what I call the radical renewal society.
In her pursuit of reconstruction and development ... Sorry, Chair, I lost my slide but now I am back. This is what I call the radical renewal society. In her pursuit of reconstruction, she and her husband started a school in Everton in Vaal. This is a showcase of a woman who was passionate about education and development; not only for herself, but the community at large.
This courage and spirit is also emphasised by government’s continuing efforts and commitment towards improving the lives of South Africans, by restoring and growing the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has exacerbated other challenges the country has been experiencing, including our quest to provide quality basic education to all South African children.
Hon members, our Minister at the start of this Budget Vote debate, announced and broke down the Medium -Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, budget allocation for the 2021-22 financial year for Basic Education, which has gone up by 15,5% from the revised 2020-21 overall baseline allocation. We welcome this increase as it will go a long way towards assisting us to meet glaring challenges aggravated by the devastating disruptions that were suddenly thrust upon the basic education sector by the COVID-19, as articulated in the adjusted budget last year.
Subsequent to the declaration by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the National State of Disaster last year, it became evident and immediate that the Department of Basic Education needed to get on its feet to find alternatives in order for learning and teaching to continue taking place. This was done very
successfully in collaboration and support from this very House, educational stakeholders, and guided by the National Coronavirus Command Council, in ensuring the safe return of teachers, learners and support staff to school under the Risk Adjusted Differentiated Strategy.
House Chair, in response to the COVID-19 impact, the department, working with sector partners and stakeholders, put new strategies in place. These include a partnership with the National Education Collaboration Trust, NECT, and UNICEF to mobilise support for learners and educators. Through this partnership, Childline was then appointed to provide telephone counselling to learners.
The NECT is also conducting training for ward committees on the basic counselling skills guide for COVID-19 responders in communities around the country to strengthen community responses to COVID-19 affected families. It is anticipated that children in schools will also benefit from this community response.
We also collaborated with the John Hopkins University as well as University of Johannesburg to provide training on the
Common Elements Treatment Approach, CETA, in order to capacitate the basic education sector in providing psychosocial support to learners and educators. The Common Elements Treatment Approach is an approach strategy that combines various psychotherapeutic tools for the treatment of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, trauma, and stress-related disorders.
This training is aimed at non-metal health professionals to enable them to assist individuals and groups in resource limited settings. This approach involves education, skills building, talking about difficult memories, and problem solving.
The Common Elements Treatment Approach uses an apprenticeship model to ensure quality and support. The training is targeting learner support agents who have been placed in schools in various districts. The initial target group to be trained will be 40 National Master Trainers, made up of officials from the education sector and various partner organisations.
House Chair, we are pleased as a department that the allocation for Curriculum Policy, Support and Monitoring has
increased to R2,3 billion, which is an increase by 10,3 % from the 2020-21 financial year baseline. This will certainly assist to boost the department’s stable and progressive curriculum, that is not only internationally benchmarked, but also transformative, and fully incorporates 21st century skills and skills for a changing world.
Our curriculum implementation is indeed supported and enhanced with various materials and resources that have been developed and distributed to schools. These include a catalogue of evaluated and approved textbooks for all the grades and subjects, workbooks, reading resources for reading corners in classrooms and mobile libraries in some cases.
In response to the 2019-20 state of the nation address mandate, of ensuring that every 10-year-old can read for meaning by 2030, the department has conceptualised the Integrated Reading Sector Plan, which has informed the development and implementation of reading strategies in all provinces. Central to the sector plan, is the Primary School Reading Intervention Programme, which comprises four sub- programmes, namely, the Early Grade Reading Assessment, the
Early Grade Reading Study, the Read to Lead Campaign, and the National Reading Coalition.
We remain grateful for the partnership that has been formed to enable the department to make inroads in this important area. These include, the NECT, the ETDP SETA, UNICEF, the USAID, the World Bank, corporate companies and numerous NGOs.
Through these partnerships, we have been able to train more than 30 000 teachers on how to more effectively teach reading for understanding, who in turn, supported about 1,5 million children, since the inception of the PSRIP. We have also upskilled more than 7 000 senior management teams, SMTs, to be able to support their teachers.
As part of the Basic Education Employment Initiative, which the Minister has fully detailed, 23 000 young South Africans have also been placed as reading champions in schools in all nine provinces to be part of our massive reading revolution drive.
Emerging evidence shows signs of success in the establishment of a reading culture, in that there is an increase in the
number of classroom, reading corners established, particularly in primary schools; increase in the number of books read, and stories told weekly; and there is voluntary participation of learners in reading activities as well as the involvement of parents in the reading development of their children. We want to acknowledge the contributions of our partner organisations led by the National Reading Coalition, which enabled us to maximise our gains and increase our efficiencies by supporting the training and mentoring of these young people.
Furthermore, we have heeded the President’s call for a reading movement by establishing the President’s Reading Circle through hosting virtual reading clubs. We are doing this in collaboration with the NECT under the banner of Read to Lead. This is done to encourage reading and to promote dialogue around topical and social issues that emerge from the stories. Five sessions have been held monthly starting in December 2020. All South Africans are invited to join these exciting monthly events which happen every last Thursday of the month.
Hon members, we continue to ensure that more video lessons and TV broadcast lessons are developed for learners to watch after school, on weekends, and over school holidays. Baseline
surveys are conducted at interval, to determine learners’ pre- knowledge and to assist in planning and delivering extra lessons and additional support. Schools have been required to develop school-based recovery plans based on those baseline surveys.
We have reduced the number and types of formal assessment tasks to create more time for teaching and learning. As I mentioned, the June examinations have been removed as a compulsory component in Grades 4-12. In Grades 4-11, the examination has been replaced by a test to ensure the focus is on teaching and learning.
In terms of teachers and human resource development, we believe that teachers are our most important asset in the education of our children. A collective agreement was concluded at the Education Labour Relations Council, Collective Agreement 1 of 2020: Concession process to follow, for employees with comorbidities. This was aimed at providing concessions for educators employed in terms of the Employment of Educators Act to make sure that these teachers are protected, especially those who are affected due to risk
factors for severe COVID-19, and to give guidance to evaluate and manage vulnerable employees.
House Chair, as I conclude ... because what I am talking about is exactly what is happening in the department and not what other people talking outside the department. As I conclude, I want to indicate that we have adopted hybrid teaching models using our national broadcaster, including its radio stations to ensure learning continues whilst applying rotational attendance models currently in place. Just last week, we began the process of repositioning the DBE-TV channel, currently on Channel 122 on Open View, as well as the DBE YouTube channel in order to increase viewership of learner support content on the channels by incrementally introducing even more interesting content, including DBE news.
Schools are also experimenting and innovating using social media platforms such as WhatsApp for contact, teaching and learning when learners are not physically at school. The monitoring and reporting on learning time-loss recovery progress will be implemented at all levels — at school, district and provincial levels in order to identify bottlenecks and intervene appropriately.
The past year was very hard on the infrastructure programmes as hon Nodada has indicated. It is just unfortunate that they only visit those schools with infrastructure problems, but we know that we are working tirelessly to make sure that we address the backlogs of infrastructure. There was no construction in quarter one due to the hard lockdown and even quarter two was tough as we still experienced restrictions on the number of workers per site and restriction on the travelling of workers between provinces.
Despite all of this, we managed to make significant progress in the provision of school infrastructure during 2021. To be more specific, we built 34 new school, 101 water supply projects and 298 sanitation projects.
We want to thank the Minister of Basic Education who is steering this boat into a right direction. There is no any other woman except Minister Angie Motshekga. Thank you so much, Chair.
Ms M E SUKERS: Chairperson, n this year we honour Charlotte Maxeke, one of the first women black graduates in South Africa. The foundation for her success was laid in the mission
school in which she received her basic education. She was a teacher, educational entrepreneur but above all a practical woman of action, and we need to be equally practical when we debate this budget.
The simple fact is that Basic Education needs more money, but our fiscus has no more money for basic education and even if they had more money they would not allocate it to us because there are inefficiencies in the sector. The ACDP disagrees with the Treasury on only one point it is not that we are inefficient, but that we are ineffective. We are efficient at pushing up the matric pass rate, but ineffective in having that qualification open the door to employment.
We are efficient at pushing up the matric pass rate, but ineffective in ensuring all our youth stay in education or training until they reach Grade 12.We are ineffective in giving our learners the skills they to complete a three-year university degree in three years.
The director-general, DG, has claimed that parents not sending their children to the closest school is inefficient. No, these are hard working parents being effective in getting their
children the best education they can. We have to empower our people to choose how their children are educated.
We can do this by embracing rather than frustrating home education. We must abandon the ideology that home education is un-African it the most African educational approach there is.
The allocations in this budget to assist independent or fee- paying schools through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond are inadequate. Most fee-paying schools and especially Quintile 4 schools are in need of extra assistance. Many faith-based and historically nonracial schools that cater to the children of low and middle income earners are in particular need of assistance. It was in schools like this that Charlotte Maxeke received her basic education. An education not just of facts but in the values that shaped her life. From virtually every other department we hear about the importance of transformation and entrepreneurship. Where in this budget are the plans that support transformation and social entrepreneurship in the independent education sector?
The ACDP calls on the Minister to reduce the regulatory burden on the independent school sector and to withdraw this budget
and only present it when it allocates adequate funds to support our Quintile 4 schools and provides significant assistance to independent schools that cater to low- and middle-income families. Thank you, Chairperson.
Mr T MALATJI: Hon Chairperson, Mam Boroto, hon members and the people of South Africa, this Budget Vote debate takes place while the people of Palestine continue to experience oppressive conditions under the Israeli apartheid regime. The current bombardment of Gaza and the killing of should be condemned and stopped. We call for a two state solution based on 14 June 1967 boarders to bring about peace in their land.
We urge the United Nations Security Council to meaningfully intervene in the crime against humanity as experienced by the people of Palestine. As the ANC we will always side with the oppressed. We accordingly stand with the people of Palestine.
Hon member, sexual harassment and gender-based violence in our schools is a great concern. Incidents such as rape and sexual harassment by teachers is becoming alarming. The recent incident in Ivory requires immediate attention. We need to be harsh. Perpetrators of sexual harassment in our schools [Inaudible.]
Hon members, when the Department of Basic Education tables its budget the primary objective of the budget is to serve as a tool to address the injustices of the past. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the level of inequalities in society. The spatial planning of economic development patterns has also impacted the distribution of basic services which led to schools in rural areas and underdeveloped areas lacking sanitation and water. Numerous schools across the country have infrastructure backlog.
Hon members and people of South Africa, this is the legacy of apartheid which require fundamental change by the ANC government. It is for this reason that the budget allocation remains the highest. The accelerated school infrastructure delivery initiative programme of government is one of the key interventions to accelerate the delivery of the social infrastructure. For the financial year 2021-22, Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, Asidi, programme will build 21 new schools and provide 1 000 schools with sanitation facilities for a tune of R2,3 billion. The intervention is welcomes as government will within available resources close infrastructure gap to ensure that the dignity of our learners is protected.
The education infrastructure grant has been allocated
R36,7 billion over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. It is this [Inaudible.] that at least hon members of the opposition argue that the ANC government is not prioritising infrastructure development in our schools. That is not a fact. We also call on our communities to take interest in our school and the protection of our school facilities. Business forums which hinder progress in the construction projects should follow due procurement processes in order to be considered in our appointments. Business forums which stop infrastructure projects delay much-needed developments.
The 2020 budget adjustment and the reprioritisation for the fight against the pandemic of COVID-19 has made a lasting impact on the infrastructure allocation. But this allocation projected growth in the middle term.
In our oversight visit across the country we have seen quality infrastructure and schools with poor infrastructure which need more infrastructure investment. We are glad that these are parts of the development plans.
The sixth administration has place improvement of learners’ outcome as a key priority to enable success of all learners who enter the system. This requires an improvement of development of children to enable them to have strong numeracy and literacy skills. Reading with the meaning is important.
Children should be supported through an effective and quality early childhood development. Without a strong foundation our learners struggle to progress in the schooling system.
The President in his state of the nation address emphasised that early childhood development, ECD, migration is the priority of the sixth administration. In this regard the ANC resolved to ensure the migration of the early childhood development from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education which is a clear indication of a commitment to transform the education of the poor. It is so because children who are negatively impacted by ECD are mainly children from the poor, blacks in general and Africans in particular.
The department targets an increasing number of five learners into Grade RR of 95% by 2024 is an important strategy to improve the readiness of children before they start schooling.
One of the difficult complex to address during this difficult economic condition is to ensure that all students have access to digital equipments as part of the learning methods. With the Department of Telecommunication and Postal Services will increase access to connectivity amongst our schools in the medium-term. The department should continue to explore various interventions to accelerate connectivity in schools to access digital devices for education sector. Though the face-to-face teaching remains the most effective form of teaching, technological devices enhance the process of learning and should be prioritised by the department.
We live in a time where children below the age of six years
`can use cellphones to access [Inaudible. With no supervision or guidance. We have to ensure that the supervision of teaching our children to use digital platforms to protect them against various exploitation to sexual content. We should create awareness in our schools that the use of social media encourages homogeneous relationships amongst students. The bulling incident that happened in high school in Thohoyandou is one of the most [Inaudible.] which occurred in our education sector situation. It was a combination of assault and bullying of a student which was [Inaudible.] a clip video
on social media. We must teach our children empathy and value which encourages them tolerance.
The Budget Vote is an important budget because it is through the education where a child and a young person who live in an informal settlement can break the chains of poverty and become anything that impacted education from the South African [Inaudible.]
It is also very important to remind our opposition parties, especially in the provinces and the Parliament institutions, that the exclusion and the deepening of not working together with the ruling party to make sure that we address education for all. We have seen on media and everywhere parents protesting that their school has because of their poor background where they are coming from. We call upon the national government and everyone to work together to make sure that we advance to fight against inequality in education and fight for quality education for all. We should also accelerate the closing of the inequality gap in the education of the rich and the poor - those in rural areas and those in urban areas. The ANC has made significant process in making it sure that we close that gap. We can close that gap if we work together and
not play games. We must make sure that it becomes our responsibility to address the injustice of the past. The ANC supports the Budget Vote as a critical tool to transform society. Thank you very much.
Mr M G E HENDRICKS: House Chairperson, Al Jama’ah votes in favour of the Budget Vote 16 - Basic Education. However, it is our view that the money allocated for school’s sports and the agriculture budget must be channelled to basic education.
Sports federations are misusing the money and our learners are not getting the benefits of monies budgeted for sport.
Educators are governed by strict protocols and we need to put our learners’ development in sport in their hands. I hope the Minister will have time to respond to that direct request when she replied to the debate.
Al Jama’ah feels that too much money is allocated to higher education – I am not shooting the messenger, hon Chair. We must reposition the basic education for the world of work. The wasted money in higher education must be channelled to basic education. I don’t think the Minister will have a quarrel
because we are saying approve the budget and give the Minster more money.
The digital revolution and the fact that we are already in the
... [Inaudible.] ... makes many universities courses a waste of resources and time as far as job creation is concern. These courses can still be taken digitally and for this, you will not need loans, bursaries and hostels. The academics will find options to look at alternative ways to be reskilled.
Al Jama’ah is involved in studies of repositioning education for the world of work and we invite the portfolio committee and Department of Basic Education to attend a Zoom workshop with the international thought leader in this regard at their convenience. Department of Higher Education and Training is most welcome to also attend to protect their turf.
The country is wasting money on bursaries, loans, hostels beds for college and university students who do short courses that are obsolete. We need zero-based budgeting in education. The Minister of Trade and Industry has diplomatically told the nation that there will not be petrol stations in the future as
electrical cars will be the future. We want subsidies to fast track this. Other Ministers will soon follow.
So, many professionals disappear.
This budget with all the extras that Al Jama’ah supports will take the country to the next level and I will wait for the Minister’s response. Al Jama’ah supports the Budget Vote for Basic Education. Thank you very much, hon Chairperson.
Mr P R MOROATSHEHLA: House Chairperson, hon Minister, Angie Motshekga ... [Interjections] ...
... Thank you very much. hon Deputy Minister, Regina Mhaule, hon members, and fellow South Africans, Dumelang, one has listened carefully to all the inputs given in this mini- plenary. Maybe it is about time that one has to provide leadership where necessary, hence the unorthodox approach that I am going to take.
Let us give credit where it is due. The black spot analysis will not assist us under this circumstances as projected by both the EFF and the DA. For starters, let me indicated that
as the ANC, we unequivocally support this budget vote. Our history of colonialism and apartheid has entrenched a value system which excludes females and African people in order to denigrate black people. The apartheid government created an inferior education system for the black people. This is an important fact to appreciate how the apartheid government used education to undermine and deprive black people from quality of education.
The 1994 democratic breakthrough opened up opportunities for the nation to build a single co-ordinated education system which creates equal opportunities for all South Africans, from different backgrounds and social strata.
The ANC has always placed education as a key developmental tool to enable people to liberate themselves. Today, 26 years into democracy, we should be able to reflect whether our education system has advanced socio-economic transformation and social justice. However, our education curriculum unlike the Bantu Education one contains content of gender equality, non-racialism, and various constitutional rights which are enjoyed by all South Africans.
Hon members, this budget is a major budget to support an important provision of the right to education for all south Africans and for the future of our nation. Some of the key features of this budget is supported for the poor through the provision of scholar transport for learners who stay away from their schools. Rural areas with schools that are far apart require transport in order to create a conducive environment for learning as other student would be required to travel more than 10km every day to get to schools.
Another programme this budget supports is the National School Nutrition Programme which makes a significant impact for poor children who without it would even sleep with an empty stomach. As opposed to the baseless rejection of the vote by both the EFF and DA this budget support supports 19 950 schools which will be provided with nutritious meals on each and every day. This is a pivotal poverty alleviation programme of addressing food and hunger in our schools. These are some of the key social justice support interventions to ensure a conducive environment existing for learners to succeed in their education and break the cycle of poverty; and to meaningfully contribute to the development of our humanity.
This shows how the ANC-led government is bias to the poor and marginalised.
House Chairperson, we should also salute our educators and school management teams and all stakeholders for supporting the continuation of the education of our children. We mourn with those who have lost their loved ones in these trying times. Without the commitment of educators and the support from teacher assistants, the reopening of schools would have come with many challenges. Our learners have adapted to the new normal and this should be acknowledged.
In order to improve learning outcomes, teacher development is critical, as the teachers have the responsibility of transmitting knowledge and through various pedagogical approach to ensure learning and cognitive development of our learners. This budget vote supports teacher development to improve the capacity and capability of teachers.
The department has created a sustainable pipeline of educators through significant investment into Fundza Lushaka bursary scheme. The department will be awarding 11 500 bursaries this
very academic year. This is a welcome intervention for the current and future needs of our education system.
We also applaud the placement rate of the Fundza Lushaka graduates which is currently at 82%. This indicates the efficient planning of the bursary scheme in having a balance of the demand and supply of our teachers. Training of teachers should also focus on the changing world with subjects such as robotics and coding. Digital technologies will always evolve and we will need to prepare our educators for that future.
We welcome the implementation of the pilot on the provisions on the coding and robotics in our schools and it is a milestone towards preparing learners and our education system for the changing world. The gross of the digital economy and digital technologies requires new learning.
Our focus on science and mathematics should be strengthened. Science and mathematics are important subject to advance the socioeconomic objectives of the country as they contribute to productive sector of the economy. And the human capital with a strong analytic and technological skills which are important.
Minster, we should also provide substantive support for the current Grade 12 and the lower grades who have missed a significant period without schooling in 2020. This will have an impact on this year’s cohort. Despite the difficult conditions of the pandemic, the department used various models of teaching under the pandemic.
The recent incidents in our schools such as rape, bullying, drug and alcohol use should be of concern for all of us. The responsibility of building a nation which embraces social cohesion is a societal responsibility of everyone and social institutions.
One of the ongoing concerns of the ANC is the fact that we have a sizeable number of learners across the country who are dropping out of school’s time in and time out. The coronavirus pandemic as learners who would have missed school for longer periods might have not returned. The impact of dropping out of the youth is severe and it creates a lesser opportunity to participate in the labour market. We should all contribute to encourage all our children and youth to pursue education in order to better their lives.
Despite the reduction in the medium term of R1,6 billion, the biggest limitation is not always the allocation of funds but our capability to use allocated funds in the efficient and effective way. This will result in the desired outcomes which will improve in the education landscape.
Education remains a potent weapon in the world of all to transform themselves, the world and things. The values and principles are espoused in our Constitution should be enshrined in our education system and all learners should enjoy the Bill of right. Nonracialism, non-sexism, equality and other noble values should be the fruits of our education system.
As I conclude, the ANC supports the budget vote of basic education, our support to the vote is based on our commitment to the people of South Africa that we will place education as an Apex Priority. We will ensure that all school going children and youth have access to education at no cost. That will ensure to provide support to all grades at all cost.
Thank you very much, Chairperson.
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon House Chairperson, let me thank the members of the House who participated in this debate and say it has been very useful and we have taken copious notes on some of the points that have been raised. If we do not respond to them, it does not mean that we did not take them to heart. I wanted to say that it is such a pity that democracy has gifted the country with multiparty democracy.
Some of these parties, it is just very regrettable that you have to engage with people like Nodada who hardly knows what is spoken about.
We are speaking about education and budget but he is all over
...
IsiXhosa:
... uthetha ngamashishini karhulumente (SOEs)...
English:
... and what I will humbly request is that his colleagues try to induct and orientate him on what Basic Education is all about. They need to just help him about the content, the structure and the system so that...
IsiXhosa:
... xa ethetha ngokuzimisela, njengoko ehlala esenza kanjalo, noko kuvakale incasa kule nto ayithethayo.
English:
Otherwise I really do think that it is such a waste of time to have to listen to people who do not know what they are talking about.
IsiXhosa:
Uthetha imfitshimfitshi nje, akazazi ukuba uthetha ngantoni.
English:
But to rather be engaging ...
IsiXhosa:
... nale mfitshimfitshi iza nooNodada ne-EFF...
English:
... let me just make a few points.
Mr W F FABER: Hon House Chairperson, on a point of order: It is very clear Rule 82 says reference to a member in respectful
terms. Please hon Minister I put this on you that Rule 31 asks members to use respectful terms.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Okay, that is Rule 82. Let us stick to the rules. Hon member on the platform please switch off your microphone.
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: If I said anything disrespectfully it does not mean ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Minister, please wait; let me finish with the other members. All members must switch off their microphones. If you open your microphone Mme Phiri, I do not know what will happen to you. We will rule on it but do not do it because we will take you out.
Mr W F FABER: Hon House Chairperson, on a point of order: On that Rule it really states no name of the ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Faber, I did not recognise you.
Mr W F FABER: Hon House Chair, I want you to rule on that.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon member, I have ruled and I have cautioned against it. You did not hear me and you cannot just speak without recognising me. You are out of order.
The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Chair, I just want to make a few points here now that I have missed an opportunity. In deed hon Ngcobo who had said despite the gains he thinks we have made in the year our research has shown us that the educational and social impact of the Covid-19 are going to be felt in the years to come. As a result, ... [network problems] consensus that there should be full attendance of primary school learners and we have agreed that we will synchronise that with the reopening of the schools on the 26 July. I thought that I should share that with members. Secondly, CEM which met on the 19 has also agreed that the crisis we have been experiencing with school sport and we should suspend contact sport. We have also published what contact sport is so that we make sure that there is no confusion on which sporting activities should not take place but we have suspended it and we will continue to engage with the public.
We have also decided at that CEM that we also suspended the choral music so it means people should not expect the choral music this year. Again I want to share with the public that we have had a very difficult exercise of electing school governing bodies and can say almost 250 000 school governing bodies have been trained and been orientated and they are very ready to start doing their work.
As I have said earlier on I have noted counselling advice from different speakers and ...
IsiZulu:
... baba uNgcobo, kucacile ... uyazi kukhona umehluko phakathi komuntu okhuluma into ayaziyo nomuntu okhuluma ngento angayazi futhi ngifuna ukukuncoma ukuthi ...
English:
...even if you were not agreeing with us, I take to heart what you have said and we will follow up and ...
IsiZulu:
... ngiyabonga ...
English:
... with your comments
IsiZulu:
... kucacile ukuthi ...
English:
... when we talk about education and budget you did know the difference ...
IsiZulu:
... sikhuluma ngemfundo ...
English:
... we are not talking about SOEs and anything all over the place. We are talking about education and budget, curriculum, values in education and we are speaking about assessments.
That is why the member should be orientated in real sense and inducted in the content, the structure and the system of Basic Education. Hon Sukers I noted what you were saying and also we have been engaging with the, not with the independent schools but also with the home schooling grouping and I do hope that
we will continue and find each other and make sure that there is a win-win solution.
There is no reason for us to want to make anybody uncomfortable. I really appreciate what members have said, hon Malatsi who understands that when you speak about education, it is about coding about robotics and everything else. Hon member from Al Jama Aah I have noted your comments. As you can see the Chairperson has opened the screen I cannot respond but accept the need to have more money and I fully agree with that. I also want to agree and support Ntate Moroatshehla and Ntate Ngcobo...
IsiXhosa:
... kucacile...
Sesotho:
... le a tseba hore na le bua ka eng. Ha re bua ka sekolo, re bua ka sekolo; mme ha re bua ka tjhelete, re bua ka tjhelete. Ha re bue ka ditlhapa. Ba bang, ...
IsiZulu:
... abanye kuthiwe, hambani niyobathuka ngakhoke ngeke ngiyiphendule inhlamba, angizanga la ukuzophendula izinhlamba...
English:
... so I am not going to answer to insults. Thank you, hon Chair.
Debate concluded.
The mini-plenary rose at 18:21.
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