Questions and Replies

Reply:

Yes: The Department is constantly working towards aligning the curriculum to the demands of the 4th Industrial Revolution hence Robotics and Coding are being introduced. Marine Sciences and the Occupational stream for schools of skill, special schools and mainstream are being finalised. School communities where robotics and coding are currently piloted have welcomed the Department's direction, which is towards improving skills.

Since 1998, there have been several waves of curriculum reform in South Africa as we moved from the old curriculum inherited in 1994 to Curriculum 2005, to the National Curriculum Statement, which in turn has been revised several times. Throughout this time, curriculum reforms have been based on substantial research and the work of a wide range of curriculum experts.

For example, in July 2009, a Ministerial Task Team, consisting of researchers and academics, was appointed to investigate the challenges experienced with the school curriculum. Following the Task Team’s wide-ranging recommendations, a re-packaged curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12 (NCS), supported by the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for the various subjects and phases, was launched in schools, commencing in 2012.

It is therefore fair to say that as a matter of historical fact, South Africa has experienced many years of research into alternative curriculum and this research has had the outcome of curriculum reforms that were subsequently implemented in schools. This continues to be the case.

Much of the curriculum research being done by scholars across the country, some of which is in collaboration with the DBE, is focused on specific subjects, phases or even topics and pedagogical approaches in the curriculum. It is important to understand curriculum research in this way, as focused in its application on specific subjects, phases and topics, rather than in the first place being seen as an overall government system or policy. The challenges experienced in mathematics in the FET phase may, for instance, be very different from those experienced in Foundation Phase Home language literacy, and may therefore require a completely different type of curriculum revision. This work done by external researchers, done through work commissioned by the DBE or done by entities like Umalusi, continues to feed into curriculum revisions.

Another relatively recent curriculum research project which is worth describing is the 2017 implementation evaluation of the National Curriculum Statement that was jointly commissioned by the DBE and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. This evaluation concluded that the NCS and CAPS documents themselves were broadly supported, even if further improvements were still possible, but that the larger challenges were around factors affecting how the curriculum is implemented in classrooms. Factors such as lost teaching time, weak content- or pedagogical knowledge amongst teachers, and gaps in instructional leadership at schools were identified as common challenges to effective curriculum implementation. This evaluation is available on the DPME website:

https://evaluations.dpme.gov.za/evaluations/601

Although much research is needed on how to achieve better delivery of the curriculum, there is also research into alternative approaches to parts of the existing curriculum. For example, the department is closely following the “Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education pilot” being run by the Eastern Cape Department of Education. This project is piloting the use of mother-tongue instruction (isiXhosa in this case) beyond the Foundation Phase. Based on the experience with this pilot the department is eager to explore the possibility of encouraging mother-tongue instruction in grades beyond the Foundation Phase. Although such an approach would not really be in conflict with the existing curriculum, it is not a widespread practice in our schools and a supportive environment would need to be created to facilitate the widespread adoption of this approach. The Incremental Introduction of African Languages Policy is another example of a new policy, which is being introduced while informed by research, so as to reform the curriculum.

Another study that investigated a type of alternative approach to what is prescribed in CAPS was the 2014 impact evaluation of a Reading Catch Up Programme (RCUP). This programme, which was first administered as part of the Gauteng Primary Literacy and Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS), was based on a recognition that many grade 4 learners whose first language is not English do not reach grade 4 having sufficiently mastered all the learning intended to be achieved through the Foundation Phase curriculum for English as a First Additional Language (EFAL). The RCUP programme therefore spends one term of grade 4 going over topics and vocabulary that is actually covered in the Foundation Phase curriculum in order to help children catch up to the level required for grade 4. Unfortunately, the results of the impact evaluation were that this programme did not significantly improve English reading outcomes compared to grade 4 schooling as usual (Fleisch et al, 2017). Nevertheless, this study does present an example of the sort of research into alternative curricular approaches that the department is eager to engage with and would encourage researchers to pursue.

The DBE website has a research repository which includes a special theme on curriculum research, although this merely includes a selection of reports commissioned by DBE or done internally, and is by no means representative of all curriculum research that has been done. The research repository is available here: https://www.education.gov.za/ResearchRepository.aspx.

 

Bibliography

Fleisch, B., Taylor, S., Schöer, V., & Mabogoane, T. (2017). Failing to catch up in reading in the middle years: The findings of the impact evaluation of the Reading Catch-Up Programme in South Africa. International Journal of educational Development, 53, 36-47.

Reply:

(a) (b) In order to address social distancing protocols during the phasing in and full opening of school, provinces are providing mobile classrooms for additional spaces as well  identifying additional spaces inside the school campuses and or around the school  to address any additional needs for space. Provinces are also considering non-infrastructure solutions, which include 3 schooling models to cater for social distancing, These are:

• Platoon / shift arrangements
• Alternate days;
• Alternate weeks

Reply:

(a) and (b) The Department has sought and received advice from the Department of Health through the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 (MAC) on the medical conditions in children that place children at risk of severe COVID-19. Specifically, the MAC advisory is that children with well controlled asthma are NOT at high risk. Through the completed Learner Health Questionnaire that is submitted to schools, schools will be able to identify learners with medical conditions that pose a risk, and together with the parents/caregivers, agree on a plan to protect the health and on-going education of the child. 

Reply:

(a) Details on the arrangements for the reopening of schools for children with special educational needs are encapsulated in the Directions that were published in the Government Notice signed by the Minister on 1 June 2020 as well as in the Department of Basic Education’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

(b) The dates and other details are contained in the afore-mentioned Government Notice.

Reply:

Response to Parliamentary question 1044

(1) 

EMIS data is captured at source level (schools) on the transactional system called the South African School Administration and Management System (SA-SAMS) and uploaded to the National Data Repository called the Learner Unit Record Information and Management System (LURITS) from which statistical reporting takes place. The LURITS has built-in validation rules to verify data. This system was opened on 23 March 2020 for processing of the 2020 Enrolment Upload by the Provincial Education Departments and the initial closing date of LURITS uploads was planned for 30 June 2020. This date was reviewed to close LURITS on 12 June 2020 for 2020 Enrolment data in response to the growing need of updated data.  There is a further verification exercise and process of approval from the Provincial Heads of Departments, prior to finalization of the data for reporting purposes. The 2020 data will therefore be finalised by end July 2020 for reporting.

2)

To increase learner participation and performance in the MST subjects, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has developed an Integrated Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) Strategy (2019-2030), in close collaboration with sister departments namely Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and  Various  directives from the Director-General regarding the mandatory offering, by all Public Ordinary Schools, of Mathematics or Technical Mathematics in Technical High Schools.

This was issued in Circular S13 of 2015, entitled, “THE MANDATORY OFFERING OF MATHEMATICS AS A CHOICE SUBJECT IN ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE(NSC)”. .

Since then, Circular S15 of 2015, Circular S1 of 2016 and Circular S6 of 2016 were issued regarding the implementation of Technical subjects including Technical Mathematics and Technical Science. The purpose of these directives was to reiterate the policy requirement of ensuring that all NSC pupils taking Technical subjects were to offer Technical Mathematics, not Mathematical Literacy. In addition, the policy precludes NSC candidates from offering Mathematical Literacy in conjunction with Physical Science.

Interventions of the DBE include directed funding support to 1000 schools, provided to all Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), via the MST Conditional Grant which also specifically aims at supporting PED’s programmes that will increase the number of girls who take MST subjects.

To address the challenge posed by schools that are unable to recruit Mathematics teachers, the DBE, in 2016 concluded a MoU with TEACHSA.

This Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) recruits and trains recently graduated young men and women, termed TEACHSA Ambassadors, with MST-related degrees, who are then placed in ‘difficult to staff’ schools.

Since 2015, 289 TEACH Ambassadors have served school communities throughout the country. Their contributions have resulted in measurable increases in pupil enrolment as well as improving quality of outcomes. The work done by them has been recognised for its excellence, as evidenced by their receipt of accolades in the National Teacher Awards.

Reply:

In terms of current policy, as articulated in the Regulations on the Conduct, Administration and Management of the National Senior Certificate Examinations,15 (2),  the candidate, unless otherwise stated, must respond to the question paper in the language of learning and teaching. Currently, at the Grade 12 level, the learner is either taught through the medium of English or Afrikaans. Hence, provision is currently made only for learners to respond in English or Afrikaans, in their non-language subjects.

However, the Department is currently investigating the option of providing candidates with question papers that are presented both in the language of learning and teaching and in the mother tongue of the learner. This option will first be piloted in either Grade 10 or Grade 11; and based on the outcome in this pilot, it will considered for implementation in the  high stakes Grade 12 examination.                 

Reply:

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/05/2020

INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/2020

1024. Mrs D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1)       Whether her department received any funds for the Expanded Public Works Programme in the past four financial years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details

(1) EPWP funds received are as follows:

2016/17	R369 045 000.00
2017/18	R112 997 000.00
2018/19	R0.00
2019/20	R0.00

(2) The funds were allocated for Kha Ri Gude Food handlers

(a) Not applicable

(b) Not applicable

(c) Not applicable

(d) Not applicable

 

(3) Not applicable

(4) Not applicable

(5) Not applicable                    

Reply:

The Department of Basic Education has not provided teachers with laptops. The Provincial Education Departments were responsible for the provision of laptops to teachers; and are therefore, the custodians of this information. The Honourable Members is also reminded that the Provincial Education Departments are the employers of educators by law.  Therefore. matters related to the provision of teaching support materials are the responsibility of the Provincial Education Departments.

Reply:

·Provide mobile classrooms

(a) (b)The Department of Basic Education developed the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Containment and Management of COVID-19, for childcare facilities, schools and school communities, to guide provinces in responding to COVID-19. These include, measures to enforce social distancing for learners; as well as compliance with good hygiene practices to contain and prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus amongst learners. In order to address social distancing protocols during the phasing-in and full opening of schools, provinces are providing mobile classrooms for additional spaces, as well  as identifying additional spaces like school halls to address any additional needs for space.  In addition, a vriety of options for timetabling are being considered.

Reply:

   

	2019/20	2020/21	2021/22
(a)	59	50 (Annexure B)	152	11 (Annexure C)
				The verification process confirmed that these schools have a VIP ablutions which may require maintenance.
(b)	58 Schools allocated to Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) 1 School to The Mvula Tank (TMT)	42 Schools allocated to TMT 8 Schools to be donated by Assupol. The 59 schools from the previous Financial Year (FY) 2019/20 to be completed in the current FY.	No Implimanting Agents (IA) has yet been allocated for these projects
(c)	See attached Annexure A DBSA- 38 Schools, Contract Awarded 20 Schools under Planning TMT: 1 School under construction	See attached Annexure B	No budget allocation	No budget allocation Annexure C
(d)	National Treasury: Schools Infrastructure Backlog Grant (SIBG)
(e)	A revised schedule will be issued by the IAs, as the lockdown period has negatively affected the progress of the Project.

Reply:

(1)(a) No, responsible professional bodies such as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) are responsible for the development of curriculum/policy (National Education Policy Act, 27 of 1996)

(1)(b)(i) UMALUSI is not responsible for the development of new qualifications, but it is the responsibility of the DBE, and UMALUSI quality assures qualifications after which it submits them to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for registration on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

(1)(b)(ii) DBE is responsible for introducing a new qualification that it has developed.

(1)(c) As indicated above, the DBE is responsible for the development of curricula for new qualifications and not UMALUSI. The latter is responsible for the quality assurance of both the curricula and qualifications.

(2) There is no uncertainty regarding the statutory mandate of UMALUSI and the Department of Basic Education regarding independent schools. The Regulations regarding the criteria for the Quality Assurance, Accreditation, Monitoring of Independent Schools and Private Assessment Bodies, published in Government Gazette no.41206 of 27 October 2017, clearly stipulates the role of UMALUSI and the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). The PEDs are responsible for the registration of independent schools which gives them the approval to operate as a school and thereafter they must be subjected to the accreditation process of UMALUSI which determines whether the independent school has the capacity to offer and manage the relevant qualification and the related curriculum. The Department has also developed Guidelines for the Registration and Accreditation of Independent Schools, which has been endorsed by Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) and needs to be approved by Council of Education Ministers (CEM) and this will further assist independent schools in understanding the relationship between registration and accreditation. The independent schools are supported by both the PEDs and UMALUSI to meet the criteria for registration as an independent school and to be accredited to offer the qualification. The DBE has also established a HEDCOM sub-committee for Independent Schools which addresses all concerns of the independent schooling sector at a national level.                     

Reply:

(1) The Department awarded a tender for the the provision of water tanks and water to 3 500 schools to alleviate the COVID 19 pandemic; 

        (a)    Rand Water Board

        (b)    R600m

        (c)    Water tanks and water to 3 500 schools across the country

(2) There was deviation from normal tender processes 

         (a)    Because of the emergency nature situation as the provision of water was a prerequisite to the reopening of schools. 

         (b)    The procurement was done in terms of National Treasury Instruction No. 5 of 2020/2021, read with treasury Instruction 16A6.4 and National Treasury Practice Note 8 of 2007/2008.

(3)    The tender was awarded to Rand Water due to their proven track record of delivering huge projects within a short space and also because they are an entity of government through the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS).  To regulate the business relationship, a trilateral agreement (Implementation Protocol) was signed between the DWS, Rand Water, and the Department of Basic Education.

(4)   Yes, I will make a statement on this matter.

Reply:

The question has been referred to Provincial Departments of Education and a consolidated response will be provided as soon as it is received.

Reply:

With reference to her reply to question 61 for oral reply on 11 March 2020, of the total number of 88 685 learners who were allowed to participate in the Multiple Examination Opportunity (MEO) dispensation, what number of learners (a) in each specified district participated in the MEOs, (b) wrote Matric and (c) were allowed to write MEOs in each specified school across the City of Ekurhuleni?                               

Response

Multiple Examination Opportunity (MEO) candidates are learners that are progressed from Grade 11 to Grade 12; and therefore, are allowed to write three or more subjects in their first examination sitting, and the remaining subjects in the second examination sitting.  In the case of the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination, as indicated by the Minister, there were 88 685 candidates that opted for the Multiple Examination Opportunity (MEO).  These 88 685 candidates wrote three or more subjects in the 2019 NSC examination and they would have written the remaining subjects in the 2020 May/June examination.  However, with the National Lockdown emanating from COVID-19, the 2020 May/June examination has been re-scheduled to be written in October/November 2020, as a combined examination with the October/November 2020 examination.

(a) The number of MEO candidates per district for the October/November 2019 examination is provided as Annexure A.

(b) The number of candidates that would have written the 2020 May/June examination, so as to attain the NSC (Matric) will only be known after the 2020 October/November examination is written.

(c) The number of MEO candidates in the 2019 NSC examination for both the Ekhurhuleni North and Ekhurhuleni South districts is also provided as part of Annexure A.

Reply:

(a) Post Level 1

PROVINCE	2017	2018	2019	TOTAL
EASTERN CAPE	60	215	150	425
FREE STATE	3	12	8	23
GAUTENG	3	2	12	17
KWAZULU/NATAL	80	105	127	312
LIMPOPO PROVINCE	76	116	3	195
MPUMALANGA	12	12	13	37
NORTH WEST	27	23	25	75
NORTHERN CAPE	14	20	14	48
WESTERN CAPE	5	5	24	34
TOTAL	280	510	376	1166

Source: PERSAL

 

(b) Post Level 2 

PROVINCE	2017	2018	2019	TOTAL
EASTERN CAPE	81	172	144	397
FREE STATE	13	28	19	60
GAUTENG	13	20	19	52
KWAZULU/NATAL	149	210	168	527
LIMPOPO PROVINCE	168	319	7	494
MPUMALANGA	28	55	47	130
NORTH WEST	49	51	64	164
NORTHERN CAPE	4	10	9	23
WESTERN CAPE	18	29	37	84
TOTAL	523	894	514	1931

Source: PERSAL

Reply:

(1) The perception about the so-called “one-size-fits-all” approach to education that is alleged to be used by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) may have to have its merit put under scrutiny and be engaged on further. The DBE remains committed to engaging with whosoever displays a potential to contribute meaningfully in the quest for quality basic education provisioning in the country.

(2) The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training is an autonomous entity and any intentions of engaging with it may have to be addressed directly to it.

Reply:

Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is implemented through the Life Skills and Life Orientation subjects. In light of the disruptions of the school calendar due to COVID-19, CSE implementation in the pilot schools will be revised according to the amended Annual Teaching Plan (ATP) after re-opening. .

Reply:

1)  With reference to the various initiatives launched by her department to provide online learning to school learners and tertiary students during the national lockdown to combat the spread of COVID-19, what number of learners residing in 

(a) urban and (b) rural areas received reliable internet connections in the Republic;

Connectivity is the responsibility of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT). However, the DCDT and Department of Basic Education (DBE), in collaboration with Mobile Network Operators, have provided zero-rating to almost 200 websites.  These websites provide teachers and learners with educational resources.

(2)  (a) The websites provide CAPS-aligned Curriculum and enrichment content from Early Childhood Development to Grade 12.

(b) Not all learners have access to electronic devices, but learners manage to catch up.    

Reply:

The question was referred to Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) for response.  Please see attached Annexure A for detailed response as received from GDE.  

Reply:

a) The procurement of essential hygiene and sanitation products for schools, is done by each Provincial Education Department (PED), and not by the Department of Basic Education (DBE).  When this is done, more than one line item, may be used.  Examples of the line items that may be used are as follows:

1. Consumables House Suppliers: (Toiletry);
2. Consumables Suppliers Wash Clean Detergent (Sanitisers and Soap);
3. Consumables Suppliers: Medical Suppliers (Masks and Gloves);
4. Consumables  Suppliers: Uniforms; and
5. Infrastructure (Classes renovations and provision of Toilets).

b.    Each PED sets money aside depending on their needs.  At this stage, the DBE is unable to indicate how much each PED has set aside as the procurement process is still underway

Reply:

The Department has finalised the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the prevention, containment and management of COVID-19 in schools and school communities. They have been sent to provinces and are also placed on the DBE website.

Reply:

The Hon Member, D van der Walt, is advised to request the party member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature to table the question in the Legislature to enable the MEC to respond to the question. The Minister of Basic Education does not manage provincial allocations and procurement imperatives. 

Reply:

(1) No, there is no provision in the departmental budget for relief to small businesses. The Department's mandate does not include the provision of relief to small businesses

(2) N/A

(a) N/A

(b) N/A

Reply:

As per the attached, this is the response to Parliamentary question 71 and does not correspond with the narrative as contained in question 582.

Reply:

The response to the question has been sourced from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and is attached 

Reply:

Response

Table 1 indicates that there were 8 096 single medium schools in South Africa. The majority of schools are English medium followed by Afrikaans with 6 483 and 1 261 respectively.

Languages	Number of single medium schools
Afrikaans	1 261
English	6 483
IsiNdebele	85
SiSwati	7
IsiXhosa	163
IsiZulu	31
SeSotho	17
Sepedi	22
Setswane	7
Tshivenda	4
Xitsonga	3
South African Sign Language	6
Other	7
Total	8 096

(2)(a) The establishment/building of schools is the competence of Provincial Education Departments (PEDs).

(b) The plan to improve mother-tongue education in each province is pursued through the proposed policy position to ultimately implement Multi-lingual Mother Tongue Based Education beyond the Foundation Phase.

All pieces of legislation provide for learners to learn through language(s) of their choice for as long as it is reasonably practicable. Supreme is Section 29(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa that provides that “everyone has the right to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice in public educational institutions where that education is reasonably practicable.” The Language in Education Policy further provides that "The language(s) of learning and teaching in a public school must be (an) official language(s). Any of the eleven official languages and the SA Sign Language can be used as medium of instruction in public schools.

The National Curriculum Statement encourages learners to learn through their Home Languages (Mother Tongue), particularly in lower grades where learners learn the critical foundational skills of reading, writing and numeracy. English and Afrikaans are used as Languages of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) throughout the system, although just 23% of South Africans identify English and Afrikaans as their Home Languages. African Home Languages are used as LoLT mainly in the Foundation Phase, and thereafter transit to English.

The EC DOE initiated the Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education pilot, wherein 2 015 schools are using IsiXhosa and Sesotho as LoLT beyond Foundation Phase. Learners in these schools are taught Mathematics, Natural Science and Technology in their home languages IsiXhosa and Sesotho. This initiative was started in 72 Confimvaba schools in Grade 4 in 2012 and incrementally in subsequent grades – the cohort is in Grade 12 in 2020. The province is working with other stakeholders such as the Rhodes University, University of Fort Hare, Oxford University Press, Pearson, and PanSALB. The MTBBE learners outperformed the non-MTBBE cohort in the June Common Examinations on 17 out of 18 questions.

On 13 January 2020, the Department of Basic Education wrote a letter to Provincial Heads of Department of Education, requesting them to provide ‘A plan that shows the utilisation of African Languages as Languages of Learning and Teaching beyond the Foundation Phase.’ The plans should reach the DBE by 3 April 2020.

Furthermore, the DBE in collaboration with the UNICEF, developed Multilingual Based Mother Tongue Education Concept Paper. The DBE is intending to introduce African languages as mother tongue incrementally beyond the Foundation Phase.

(3) Please see response to question 2(b) above.

(4) The Scripted Lesson Plans (SLPs)are not textbooks but serve as a teacher resources to assist them in the delivery of the content. The SLPs guide the teacher on how to deliver the sexuality education content of Life Skills (LS) and Life Orientation (LO)subjects and does not cover the other components of LS/LO.

Reply:

The question has been referred to the Gauteng Department of Education and a response will be submitted as soon as it is received from the province.

Reply:

                                                                                                        

Response

The question has been referred to the Gauteng Department of Education and a response will be provided as soon as it is received from the province

Reply:

                                                                                                    

School connectivity is the mandate of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT). Since the financial year 2014/201, the then Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services placed obligations on Network Operators to connect schools as part of their licensing obligations. A total of 5 250 schools were to be connected by 2019/2020 April. This number included ordinary schools and special schools. All the ordinary schools under these obligations, have been connected; and work has started to bring connectivity into special schools. This connectivity did not include provision of Wi-Fi into schools.

Department of Basic Education (DBE) will consider engaging the DCDT to instal Wi-Fi in schools in the next phase of connectivity rollouts to schools. We hope and believe that DCDT fully understands the technological advancements that include Wi-Fi Technologies. 

Reply:

To ensure that learners continue to be supported while they are at home during the Lockdown, the sector put the following measures in place: 

1. Schools and teachers distributed and issued learners with printed materials that included workbooks as well as work sheet to learners before the official closure of schools by government under Covid 19.
2. Teachers planned work for learners and learners were issued with work to be done while they are not at school. A call was made to parents to support, assist and supervise the learners to do their work during this period of uncertainty.
3. To ensure that learners in underserved and remotest areas are not left out we have taken advantage of Radio as a mass media tool, we are to this end working with 110 radio stations to broadcast lessons in all 11 official languages, for all grades and  subjects on specific topics.
4. Of these 110 Radio Stations are 10 National Radio Stations, 10 Regional Radio Stations as well as 90 Community Radio Stations across all 9 provinces. This approach ensures that the most disadvantaged learner in terms of socioeconomic status and well as geographic location sis not left behind. These radio stations have listenership that runs into Millions. The Broadcast Schedules have been developed. 
5.  Our approach in intervening as a Sector, as evidenced through Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) interventions is cross cutting as it does not only include Radio Broadcast Lessons but also include, distribution of Printed materials, Websites with online content, dedicated portals, Online schools, TV Broadcast Lessons as well as live streaming of lessons on a daily basis.
6. A special TV channel has been designated, in partnership with eMedia Investments, to broadcast educational support for learners and teachers, with special focus on Grade 12 on the OpenView HD (OVHD) platform – channel 122. This channel is available free of any subscriptions and will broadcast for a period of six months starting from 01 April to 30 September 2020.
7. Educational content has been curated and uploaded on the DBE website in such a manner that it is visible and clearly accessible when a user lands on the website

Reply:

The Department is working in collaboration with the national and provincial Departments of Social Development (DSD) through the National Food and Nutrition Security Task Team led by the Presidency, through which agreement was reached that DSD will include learners from the National Nutrition Programme in their Disaster Relief and Social Relief Management Programme when distributing food parcels to households. The Department 's social and corporate partners were encouraged and referred to use the DSD distribution centres.

Reply:

The Department of Basic Education has signed a Protocol on School Safety with the South African Police Service. See Attached Annexure A. Several criminal cases have been opened with the Police across the various provinces. The Police Service is investigating these acts of vandalism and criminality and the Department of Basic Education has called for the maximum sentences to be imposed on those found to be responsible for the wanton destruction of school infrastructure. 

Reply:

RESPONSE

1. (a) In terms of the announcement made by the Minister on 30 April 2020, the intention is to phase in the resumption of schooling, which will be determined by the readiness of the schools to ensure that learners, teachers and support staff are not exposed to any risk of infection. Hence, the planned date is 1 June 2020 for learners in Grade 12 and Grade 7; and 18 May 2020 for all teachers. The resumption of schooling will be subject to all safety precautionary measures implemented in schools. The other grades will be systematically phased-in, depending on the readiness of the schools.

(b)       The time lost will be recovered by resorting to the following measures -

• The June vacation will be reduced to a week;
• The September holiday will reduced to a long weekend;
• The December holidays will be reduced by a week;
• The June examination will be scrapped to allow for more teaching and learning time; and
• If necessary the school day will be extended for the Intermediate Phase (30min); Senior Phase (1 hour) and Grade 12 (2hours).

In addition to the above, the Department has already commenced with the trimming and re-organisation of the school curriculum to ensure that the core content areas are covered in preparation for the next grade. This will also alleviate the pressure on both learners and teachers.

1. In terms of the writing of the National Senior Certificate examination, if the Grade 12 learners resume schooling on 1 June 2020, the National Senior Certificate examination will take place as scheduled extending into December 2020. The time lost will be recovered as outlined in (1)(b) above. The processing and standardisation of the results will be delayed until January 2021 and the results would be released by the middle of January 2021.

Reply:

                                                                                                                           

Response

The Department of Basic Education has signed a Protocol with the South African Police Service to provide support regarding crime perpetrated by communities towards schools.  The South African Police Service are busy with these investigations and are pursuing criminal charges against the perpetrators where schools have opened cases at their local police stations.

Reply:

Response

There are two (2)  Mceula Primary Schools in the Chris Hani Municipality:

Response:

(1) and (2) 

MceulaPrimariy School, EMIS number: 200600469 had received 14 toilets for 265 learners and 5 teachers on the 23rd November 2012 and therefore it has not been prioritised. The school will not be on the SAFE Initiative because it has a sufficient number of toilets. The fixing of classrooms, is delegated to the school under the maintenance budget.  A works inspector will be dispatched to the school to ensure the effective utilisation of the maintenance budget. The annual maintenance budget for the school, is R47,955.00

 

Response:

(1) and (2)  Mceula Primary School, EMIS number: 200600468) is on the SAFE Initiative project list. The project has been allocated to an Implementing agent.  The concurrence to appoint a contractor has been granted by the DBE,and work will commence once the lockdown has been lifted.  the amount allocated for the project is R726 912.59.  The fixing of classrooms is delegated to the school under the maintenance budget.  A  works inspector will be dispatched to the school to ensure the effective utilisation of the maintenance budget. The annual maintenance budget for the is R45,522.50

Reply:

Response

(1) (a) Eastern Cape: 9 338; Free State: 6 375; Gauteng: 44 861; KwaZulu-Natal: 19 811; Limpopo: 8 626; Mpumalanga: 4 075; Northern Cape: 1 966; North West: 8 335; Western Cape: 17 797. 

    (b) The file: Disability type per province is attached below.

(2) 501 

(3) a) The file: Masterlist of Special schools is attached below. 

     b) The file: Masterlist of Special Schools is attached below. 

     c) The file: Masterlist of Special Schools is attached below. 

Attached Annexure A

Attached Annexure B

Reply:

a) The number of schools earmarked for each province are as follows:

	SAFE and EIG	ASIDI
EC	1598	61
FS	156
KZN	1365	11
LIM	507	97
NW	145
MPU	127

b.    The allocation was not made to provinces but to the programme.

• 2018/19: No allocation at all.
• 2019/20: An allocation of R700 million was made available.

c.    Donations

• No donated funds have been managed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The donors are allocated schools, given guidance on the Sector Norms and Standards of Infrastructure provisioning as well as a standard designs. The Site Development Plans (SDPs) are then approved by the Department following which the donor can construct the facility before finally handing over the finished product to the DBE / Provincial Education Department (PED).
• An allocation of R2.8 billion has been made for the SAFE Initiative over the MTEF, as follows: 2019/20 : R700 000 000, 2020/21 : R800 000 000 & 2021/22 : R1 300 000 000.
• No independently raised funds have been managed by the DBE.

d.    45 schools have been provided with appropriate sanitation through donations. As for the allocation of R700 million, it is planned that 606 schools will be provided with appropriate sanitation. These projects are all at tender stage. The concurrence approval,  to evaluate the procurement process to see whether it is compliant in terms of the PPPFA 2017, Section 38 (a), (i) and (iii) of the PFMA, is in progress. On completion of the evaluation, the contractors will be appointed.

Reply:

The closure of schools was announced by the President as part of the lockdown measures and all school activities were ceased.  

The Department has been working with the Department of Social Development (DSD), through the National Food and Nutrition Security Task Team, led by the Presidency, through which it was agreed that learners would be targeted in families to receive food parcels in their Disaster Relief and Social Relief Management Programme. Corporate partners have been encouraged to donate to the DSD structures in this regard.

Reply:

The question has been referred to the Gauteng Department of Education for a response and will be submitted as soon as it is received from the province.

Reply:

The question has been referred to the Gauteng Department of Education and a response will be submitted as soon as it is received from the province.

Reply:

The question has been referred to the Gauteng Department of Education for a response and will be submitted as soon as it is received from the province.

Reply:

In regards to the funds from the National Lotteries Commission for the provision of sanitation in Limpopo and Eastern Cape, the DBE liaised with the Provincial Education Departments (PEDs); however, the PEDs have no records of any funding that was obtained / donated by the National Lotteries Commission, as this donation could have been directly donated to the respective schools.  The DBE will contact the Commission in order to obtain the list of those schools that may have benefited from the donation.  

Reply:

1. With regard to the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, the schools which are still NOT provided with facilities are as per Table 1 and Table 2 below.

• Table 1: Breakdown by Province for Primary schools

PROVINCE	(a) Sanitation (Using Pit-latrines)	(b) No Laboratories	(c) No Libraries	(d) No Internet Access	(e) No Sport Facilities	(f) No Electricity
Eastern Cape	574	3 032	2 155	937	2 041	84
Free State	86	679	350	0	239	0
Gauteng	0	1130	538	0	296	0
KwaZulu -Natal	791	3 540	2 354	2 218	2 006	51
Limpopo	305	2 296	1 997	1 971	775	0
Mpumalanga	26	1 094	847	345	317	0
North West	38	908	662	103	246	0
Northern Cape	0	354	199	0	129	0
Western Cape	0	810	340	0	271	0
Total	1 820	13 843	9 442	5 574	6 320	135

Table 2: Breakdown by Province for Secondary schools

PROVINCE	(a) Sanitation (Using Pit-latrines)	(b) No Laboratories	(c) No Libraries	(d) No Internet Access	(e) No Sport Facilities	(f) No Electricity
Eastern Cape	923	1 802	1 739	526	1 313	14
Free State	14	70	81	0	79	0
Gauteng	0	181	157	0	138	0
KwaZulu-Natal	356	1 198	1 338	851	1 083	0
Limpopo	109	769	1 139	197	431	0
Mpumalanga	2	385	360	152	176	0
North West	15	212	221	57	108	0
Northern Cape	0	51	55	0	39	0
Western Cape	0	85	109	0	50	0
Total	1 419	4 753	5 199	1 783	3 417	14

 Water: There is no school without water supply, all schools have been provided with some form of infrastructure for water supply. It must be noted that there are instances where as a result of drought or lack of supply by municipalities, the supply of water to a school might be intermittent.

2. (a). As per the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, which are aligned to the National Development Plan, all schools should reached optimum functionality by 2030.
(b) The estimated total cost of meeting the minimum uniform norms and standards is R268 billion.
(c ) There are approximately 1 115 023 learners that are affected in schools that have yet to meet basic services and where schools still make use of inappropriate structures.

3. The Education Infrastructure Grant and equitable share allocation are not allocated per learner but are based on the equitable share formula. The Schools backlog grant is based on the backlogs in a specific province that needs intervention, and is also not calculated and allocated per learner.

Reply:

(a),(b)(i) and (ii)(aa) and(bb). Information on un- and under-qualified Maths and Science educators is not available at the national level; as it is not routinely collected as part of the Department's monitoring frameworks.

Reply:

The President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, launched the District Development Model (DDM) in OR Tambo (ORT), Ethekwini and Waterberg municipalities in 2019. The DDM is intended to enhance service delivery through collaboration of all government departments in all municipalities through a single plan called the One Plan.

The basic education sector is already steps ahead in the implementation of the DDM. Firstly, the Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga MP, gazetted an amended Policy on the Organisation, Roles and Responsibilities of Education Districts in January 2018. The Policy, in addition to providing norms for the structure, size and resourcing of education districts, mandates that education districts should be aligned to municipal districts and metros. This is done in a manner that makes educational sense and takes into account other factors such as geographical orientation. For example, a municipal district/metro might have more than one education district in order to enhance manageability and support to schools. Subsequently, ORT municipality is comprised of two education districts - ORT Coastal and ORT Inland, Ethekwini metro is comprised of Umlazi and Pinetown education districts.

Education districts within a municipal district/metro, like all other government departments, should contribute to the development of the Integrated Development Plan (IDP). The education sector must identify catalytic projects/programmes, e.g., school nutrition, infrastructure and sanitation to enhance service delivery, and impact positively on the lives of the people; and to address their needs. The identified projects must be informed by research. For example, one of the immediate needs in ORT district municipality is that more than 60% of the youth have not passed the National Senior Certificate (NSC). To this necessity, the education sector is providing the Second Chance Matric Programme (SCMP), which provides learning materials and tuition to ensure that more youth can attain the NSC. Overall, all planning for capital projects in the basic education sector, will be done and coordinated through the One Plan of the District Development Model in each of the district municipality or metro.

Reply:

57 193 permanently appointed educators resigned between January 2012 and December 2019.  The unusually high numbers of resignations were recorded in 2014 and 2015.  This coincided with the period in which there was uncertainty relating to the changes in pension dispensation.  However, it should be noted that as at February 2020, about 17 800 of the educators who resigned, were back - appointed as educators in schools.
Number of permanently employed educator that resigned, 2012 to 2019
PROVINCE	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	Grand Total
EASTERN CAPE	464	830	1566	886	357	635	728	533	5999
FREE STATE	297	394	683	535	242	487	446	435	3519
GAUTENG	1477	1650	2678	2267	1083	1768	1611	1654	14188
KWAZULU/NATAL	1640	1589	2332	2299	1491	1379	1235	1376	13341
LIMPOPO PROVINCE	248	385	1098	1021	572	533	395	354	4606
MPUMALANGA	442	660	1026	633	383	364	286	393	4187
NORTH WEST	201	289	924	669	497	529	508	444	4061
NORTHERN CAPE	98	142	247	216	98	203	196	344	1544
WESTERN CAPE	365	544	821	784	450	896	916	972	5748
Grand Total	5232	6483	11375	9310	5173	6794	6321	6505	57193

Source: PERSAL 

Reply:

The information requested falls within the competence and purview of the Department of Higher Education and Training. The Honourable Member is urged to request the information through the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology.

Reply:

The National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Drug Use amongst Learners in Schools, is the response to drug use/abuse by the Department of Basic Education.  This is in line with the National Drug Master Plan developed by the Department of Social Development.

a) All School Safety Provincial and District Coordinators have been trained.

b) The Provincial and District Coordinators have the primary responsibility to train the School Safety Committees.  

Further information regarding the roll-out in schools is obtainable from Provincial Education Departments

Reply:

Currently the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) is utilizing the services of patrollers through CPF (Community Policing Forum) to qualifying schools.  Nzamo Primary School did not constitute part of the services of patrollers.  As per the number of reported burglaries, the school will be put on the patroller programme.  The envisaged period of deployment will be linked to the re-opening of schools for the second term.

Reply:

Response from Mpumalanga Department of Education: The Department has no plans to build a school for learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Gert Sibande District Municipality. The establishment of a school is based on a wide range of criteria including the number of learners identified to attend the school. Currently; there are 42 learners with Autism that are admitted in Special Schools.  The Department has Units in the Special Schools for Severe Intellectual Disability (SID) to accommodate learners with Autism. Through the implementation of inclusive practices, learners with Autism are able to access required professional specialists appointed at SID schools because they are learners who require moderate to high levels of support. However; some learners referred and recommended for placement are not yet placed as the parents have a right to choose a school; unfortunately, in some instances preferred schools are full to capacity. It has to be noted that there is a plan in place to open a Unit for learners with Autism at the proposed school for hearing and visually impaired which is currently under planning and design in Barberton