Questions & Replies: Basic Education

2014-09-02

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Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2374
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07/11/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/2014)
2374. Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

How many (a) public and (b) independent schools have implemented the Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System in each province? NW2966E

RESPONSE:

As on 30 October 2014, nationally:

(a) 24 202 (99%) public schools (excluding special schools); and
(b) 571 (18%) independent schools had implemented and provided 2014 data to the Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS).

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2332
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF lNTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 07/11/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 25/2014)
2332. Mr L M Ntshayisa (AIC) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What plans are in place with regard to (a) the building of schools and (b) provision of transport for learners who live on farms? NW2918E

RESPONSE:

(a) The provision of new and replacement schools is an integral component of school infrastructure provision. The sector is planning to build 544 new and replacement schools over the 2014-2019 Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) period.

(b) The Provincial Departments of Education are responsible for the provision of learner transport. Beneficiaries are identified annually and based on the plans and budget, transport is provided to those learners who qualify.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2282 (NW2832E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 31/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 23/2014)
2282. Ms D Carter (Cope) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether her department is partnering with any recognised arid community- supported organisation or with any person or persons with a high public profile who has the potential to positively help girl learners understand their vulnerability to (a) sexual exploitation, (b) sexually transmitted diseases, (c) rape and (d) unwanted pregnancy and therefore understand the measures they should take and the help they should seek to protect themselves and their education: if not, has the failure to create such partnerships culminated in the above listed problems remaining unresolved as has been the case over the past decade: if so. what are the details o f the partners and what beneficial impact has resulted from each case? NW2832E

Response:

The Department works with many organisations in addressing the vulnerability o f the girl child to sexual exploitation, sexually transmitted diseases. rape and unwanted pregnancy. The following partnerships and collaborations exist:

The Department works closely with United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in its programmes to address gender-based violence (hereafter referred to as 'GBV') and gender empowerment. These include the promotion and advocacy campaign on the Girls Education Movement and Boys Education Movement (GEM/BEM). The Department has developed an advocacy programme for learners, which informs them of their rights and the course of action if they are sexually harassed or raped. The advocacy programme is supported by a comprehensive and learner-friendly handbook entitled "Speak Out" Youth report sexual abuse-A handbook for learners on how to prevent sexual abuse in public schools. The advocacy programme utilises school dialogues and role playing to address gender-based violence in schools. The booklet is distributed in the GEMBEM clubs and at GEMBEM Future Choices Jamborees.

The Department has also trained young learners in the Free State to address all issues of violence including gender-based violence. through its partnership 544th Save the Children South Africa. Training and mentoring in collaboration with Media in Education Trust (MiET) will cover all 81 districts targeting RCI. learners in 2015.

The Department. in partnership with LeadSA. launched the STOP RAPE Campaign. as a response to the gruesome rape and death of Anene Boysens in 2013. The campaign raises awareness among learners on GBV, provides standardised messaging on sexual assault and scripted lesson plans for teachers to address rape. School assemblies have been specifically targeted as a platform from which the "Stop Rape Campaign" messages were aired, together with message activation on radio stations and print media. Furthermore. the Department. In partnership with MIXIT. has made a "Stop Rape!" function available for learners and teachers with the support of Child line from I March 2013 to 8 March 2013.

The Department continues to work and supports the Medical Research Council project entitled Schools Intervention for Healthier Evaluation (SHARE). This programme has developed curriculum support materials on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) prevention for Grades 8s and support to teachers and parents. The project is currently being implemented and data is being gathered for analysis on the impact of the intervention on reducing IPV in schools.

School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and Representative Council of Learners (RCLs) play an important role in ensuring schools are safe and conducive to teaching and learning and are considered important stakeholders and partners. The Department has developed a booklet called Value in Action: A training manual in constitutional values and school governance for school governing bodies and representative council of learners in South African public schools. The manual provides valuable information on the constitutional rights of learners including dedicated chapters on "Gender and sexual orientation", "Gender and sexual violence and harassment" and "Safe Schools".

The most potent harrier to GBV is to inculcate in learners a positive sense of self that is supported by strong peers and good role models. The Life Skills, Sexual Reproductive Health. Keeping Girls in Schools and Peer Education Programmes look specifically at utilising the agency of the youth to address their social challenges in a responsible and informed manner. To this end. the Department has developed guidelines on peer education and scripted lesson plans on life skills and sexual reproductive health which provide learners with the knowledge. skills and attitudes to address challenges including gender-based violence. The Department implements these programmes in collaboration wit11 Soul City. MiET. Love Life and SHEP.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2200 (NW2744E)

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 31/1012014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 23/2014)
2200. Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) When were her department's cost containment measurements implemented and (b) what is the total amount in savings since the specified measures were implemented with regard to (i) no catering for internal meetings, (ii) the usage of her department's (aa) venues and (bb) facilities instead of outsourcing the same, (iii) the management of telephones and (iv) the reduction of (aa) outsourced services and (bb) consultation costs? NW2744E


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Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2194 (NW2738E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 31/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 23/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether, with reference to the 2014 National Strategy for Learner Attainment (NSLA) integrated framework for the (a) general education and training and (b) further education and training schools, for each of the 104 Strategic Activities with the exception of those for which the time frame indicates completion in November 2014, the performance targets have been achieved in each province; if not. (a) why not and (b) when will the performance targets be achieved in each case; if so, what are the relevant details additional to the description of the activity and performance in each case;

(2) whether, with regard to each of the 104 Strategic Activities where the time frame indicates completion in November 2014, the performance targets will be achieved in each province; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will the performance targets be achieved in each case; if so, what are the relevant details additional to the description of the activity and performance in each case;

(3) whether a revised NSLA will be compiled for 2015; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?NW2738E

Response:

(1) (a) Yes, the performance targets have been achieved in each province for General Education and Training (GET).

There are national targets and these are distributed pro rata to provinces and provinces work towards targets set by the national Department of Basic Education.

Dates for submission of provincial NSLA reports have been provided to all provinces. The provincial quarterly reports address the 104 strategic activities as per the timeframes provided in the document. Progress per activity is therefore reported on per province. The DBE analysis provides feedback on quarterly reports to provinces. In subsequent reports, provinces address the issues that were raised by the DBE in the previous reports.

(b) National Strategy for Learner Attainment for Further Education and Training (FET)

Yes, the performance targets have been achieved in each province for the FET band.

Like in the GET, dates for submission of provincial NSLA reports have been provided to all provinces in the FET. The provincial quarterly reports address the 104 strategic activities as per the timeframes provided in the document. The DBE analysis provides feedback on quarterly reports to provinces. In subsequent reports, provinces address the issues that were raised by the DBE on the previous reports. The performance targets have been achieved in each province through:

DBE's monitoring and support of learner performance.
DBE's analysis of quarterly provincial reports
DBE's feedback to provinces and follow on outstanding activities and. targets
DBE monitoring of timeframes and reports not received on time
DBE consistent follow up on targets to be reached

(2) The NSLA Integrated Framework was developed in collaboration with provinces.

The timeframes and activities in the framework were agreed upon by all. Provinces understand the importance of activities, the targets set and these have been achieved. Provinces have set their own targets over above the national targets per subject. Provincial reports indicated that targets set up to November will be achieved and this shall be indicated in the report for the 3^rd Quarter which is due in January 2015.

When provinces report in the 3rd quarter, they usually indicate that they have met the targets as set out by the end of November.

Provinces look at the NSLA document as a whole and then set targets for each of their quarters, for example: a province may decide that they want to monitor 400 underperforming schools across the province. In the first quarter the province may report that it was able to monitor 100 schools and in the second quarter 120 schools and in the third another 100 and in the final quarter 80 schools. They will also report that they have achieved the targeted number of schools or not.

(3) A revised NSLA document has been developed for 2015. The NSLA Framework presents the goals and deliverables that are linked to the Action Plan 2014:

Towards Schooling 2025. that need to be achieved by provinces. All interventions implemented in provinces are linked to the NSLA Framework. The objectives of the Framework are:

(i) Sustained improvement in learner outcomes or performance;
(ii) Enhanced accountability at all levels of the system;
(iii) Greater focus on basic functionality of schools;
(iv) Protecting time for teaching and learning;
(v) Improved support for teaching and learning; and
(vi) Increased efforts on time on task.

The 201 5 NSLA document is divided into the following sections for easy reference and reporting:

Section 1: Management and Leadership

Section 2: Early Childhood Development

Section 3: Primary/GET Schools: Multi-grade; Foundation Phase; Intermediate

Phase; and Senior Phase.
Section 4: High/FET Schools

Section 5: Mathematics, Science and Technology

Section 6: Comprehensive Teacher Development Programme

Section 7: Resource provisioning

Section 8: Inclusive Education: Special Schools; Full-service schools; Home

Education

Section 9: ICT

Reports per quarter for 2015 will therefore be in line with the above.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2193 (NW2737E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 31/10/2014
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 23/2014)
2193. Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether she has prescribed a standard for the number of library books or books additional to the textbooks and workbooks, to be available to each child in each grade; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details, (b) by what date will the prescribed standard have been met in each province and (c) what are the details of the obstacles to compliance;

(2) whether, with reference to her reply to question 3042 on 29 November 2013, learners are tested directly relative to the prescribed reading norms for Grades 1. 2 and 3; if not, (a) why not and (b) what method@) is utilised to ensure that learners achieve the prescribed norms; if so,

(3) whether her department records the results of these assessments; if so, what are the results in the departmental database;

(4) what action has she taken to ensure that foundation phase teachers are equipped to teach learners to read, following the findings of the 2012 National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) National Report, as summarised and published in April 2013;

(5) (a) what are the reasons for the relatively lower literacy rates in quintile 1 to 4 schools, compared to quintile 5 schools, as detailed in the Report on the Annual National Assessments of 2013 and (b) what action has been and is being taken to address this inequality? NW2737E


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Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2104 (NW2572E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 24/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 2112014)
2104. Prof B Bozzoli (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With reference to the high school being built to replace Oosrand Secondary School in Reiger Park, Boksburg, what steps is she taking to ensure that (a) the specified school is properly expanded to include the correct facilities, (b) the expansion process includes proper consultation with the community, (c) the plans for the expansion are properly passed by the Ekurhuleni local authority and (d) an appropriate portion of those persons employed to build the additional facilities are drawn from the Reiger Park community? NW2572E

RESPONSE:

(a) Information received from the province is that a variation order has been issued to the contractor to provide all additional facilities not catered for in the original contract to ensure that the school receives all the required facilities.

(b) The final scope of work has been agreed upon with the school management.

(c) The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Delivery (GDID) which is responsible for the implementation of the project is bound to adhere to all requirements with regard to building projects.

(d) Contractors appointed by GDID are required through their stakeholder management directorate to source skilled and unskilled labour from local communities where education projects are implemented.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2101 (NWZ569E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 21/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 21/2014)
2101. Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(I) With regard to staff who attended meetings of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, what has been the total cost for (a) accommodation and (b) travel in the (i) 2013-14 financial year and (ii) since I April 2014:

(2) whether any staff has travelled business class: if so. what are the relevant details (a) for the 2013-14 financial year and (b) since I April 2014? NW2569E

1. Regarding staff who attended meetings of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, the total costs are as follows:

(a) Accommodation:

(i) 2013-14 financial year: R185 447.12

(ii) Since 1 April 2014 to date: R54 678.17

(b) Travel:

(i) 2013-14 financial year: R421 725.77

(ii) Since 1 April 2014 to date: R341 885.13

The relevant details of staff who flew business class are tabled below:

(a) For the 2013-14 financial year

Between 23/04/2013 and 18/02/2014, 22 business class return tickets were issued to Cape Town and back for the Director-General and the Deputy Directors-General in accordance with the Department's policy to the value of R170 340.72

(b) Since 1 April 2014

Since 01104/2014 to 09/09/2014. 6 business class return tickets were issued to only the Director-General to the value of R47 375.04, in accordance with the cost containment prescripts.

Note:

The travel and subsistence policy of the Department provided for the Director-General and Deputy Directors-General to fly business class on domestic flights. In accordance with the cost containment measures implemented on 28 January 2014 in the Department, only the Director-General could keep this privilege and all Deputy Directors-General are currently flying economy class on domestic flights. This is in accordance with the current directive by National Treasury.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2100 (NW2568E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 24/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 21/2014)
2100. Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What (a) amounts of the conditional grants were (i) transferred and (ii) spent from the 2013-14 budget of her department and (b) was the purpose of each expenditure?
NW2568E

RESPONSE:

(a)

(i) R12,326,288,000.00

(ii) R12,487,222,000.00

(b)

GRANT NAME	PURPOSE OF EXPENDITURE
Dinaledi	Promoted Mathematics and Physical Science teaching and learning and improve teachers' content knowledge of Mathematics and Physical Science.
Education Infrastructure Grant	Helped accelerate the construction, maintenance, upgrading and rehabilitation of new and existing infrastructure in education and enhanced the capacity to deliver infrastructure in education.
HIV and AIDS (Life Skills Education	Provided education and training for School Management Teams (SMTs), learners, educators and other school support in staff to develop, implement and manage Life Skills education in line with the National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, policies on HIV and AIDS. Curriculum and Assessment Policy drug and substance abuse and gender equity policies
National School Nutrition Programme	Provided nutritious meals to targeted learners
Technical Secondary School Recapitalisation grant	Recapitalising up to 200 technical schools to improve their capacity to contribute to skills development and training in the country

Compiler: Mr. R Mehl

Extension: X4302

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2098 (NW2566E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 24/30/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 21/2014)
2098. Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether she has received the National Education and Evaluation Unit's report on the intermediate phase: if not. (a) why not and (b) when does she expect to receive the report: if so. when (i) was the report received and (ii) will the report be made public;

(2) Whether the Ministerial Reading Audit report will be made public: if so. when; if not. Why not? NW2566E

Response:
I) (b) i)The Minister has received the National Education and Evaluation Unit's report on the Intermediate Phase.

ii) The report will be presented to the Council of Education Ministers(CEM) and thereafter made public.

2) The Minister will make tile report public as soon as it has been processed through all the relevant structures in the Basic Education Sector.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 2063
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 24/10/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 21/2014) FIFTH PARLIAMENT
Ms SV Kalyan (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) How many copies of the Department's Annual Report for (i) 2012/13 and (ii) 2013/14 financial year were produced and (b) (i) what were the costs of producing these reports and (ii) to whom were these reports circulated? NW2530E

Response:

Question 1a

(i) Number of copies of the DBE Annual Report printed in 2012/13 = 650
(ii) Number of copies of the DBE Annual Report printed in 2013/14 = 350

Question 1b

(i) Costs for Annual report 2012/13 = R107 328.00 for 3 12 pages Pur Bound

Costs for Annual report 2013/14 = R108 852.90 for 316 pages Thread-sewn binding

As a cost cutting measure all the layout and design of the Annual Reports was done in-house in the Communication Unit

(ii) The Annual reports were circulated as follows:
2012/13

a. 100 Copies to Parliament
b. 550 Copies distributed to Minister's Office, Deputy Minister's Office, Office of the Acting Director General, All the DDGs, All the Chief Directors and All Directors within the DBE.
c. Copies were also sent to Auditor General, National Treasury,
d. Soft Copy of the Annual report 201211 3 was placed on the DBE Website for the public

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1966 (NW2349E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
{INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 1912014)
1966. Mr M Waters (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What is the (a) maximum number of learners that schools for learners with severe disabilities are supposed to have in each class and (b) actual number of learners allocated in each class at the Con Amore School, situated in Esther Park. Kempton Park? NW2349E

Response:

a) In accordance with the norms and standards for the distribution of teaching posts to schools, the weight accorded to learners with severe intellectual disability is 3:1 and the weight accorded to learners with autistic spectrum disorders is 6:1;

b) The class size of a school such as Con Amore which enrols both learners with severe intellectual disability and learners with autistic spectrum disorders should be between 6 for autistic spectrum disorder and 11 for severe intellectual disability on average. On average, 15 learners are enrolled per class in this school which is above the recommended norm, as can be seen from the table below.

Table 1: Distribution of learners per class at Con Amore School

Class number	Number of learners in the class
1	10
2	11
3	14
4	13
5	8
6	14
7	14
8	15
9	14
10	15
11	13
12	14
13	14
14	14
15	16
16	16
17	12
18	18
19	18
20	17
21	19
22	18
23	18
TOTAL	335
AVE	15 learners per class

Source: Information provided by Gauteng Education Department

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1911 (NW2293E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/2014)
1911. Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With regard to Lebaka B Primary School in the Greater Letaba Municipal area in Limpopo, (a) what are the reasons for abandoning this school building project, (b) what was the contract amount, (c) what amount has been paid to the contractor and (d) what amount is still owed to the contractor;

(2) whether any litigation process has been instituted; if so, what are the relevant details? NW2293E

RESPOSNE

(1)(a)

According to information received from the Limpopo Department of Education, the professional service provider suspended its professional services and brought a legal case against the department claiming an amount of R 7 969 979.00. The contractor cannot complete the work without support of a professional service provider. The litigation process is still underway.

(b) R 15, 956,000 (Fifteen Million, Nine hundred and Fifty six thousand rands)
(c) R 12,252,509.59 (value of work done to date)
(d) R 3,703,490.41 (outstanding work and retention)

(2) The professional service provider appointed by the Limpopo Department of Education brought a litigation matter against the department claiming an amount of R7 969 979-00. Judgment was taken against the Department on 26/08/2014. The Department has noted an appeal against this judgment on 11/09/2014. The Chief Administrator in the Province and the Administrator of LDOE have also referred the matter to the Special investigation Unit for further investigation.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1910 (NW2292E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/2014)
1910. Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With reference to the statement made by President J G Zuma in his state of the nation address on 17 June 2014 to provide school furniture to all the schools in the Eastern Cape by the middle of August 2014 and the court order by the Eastern Cape High Court to provide school furniture, including school chairs, by the end of June 2013, (a) what is the current status of delivering school furniture to these schools, including (i) how many school desks (aa) were required and (bb) were provided to date, (b) what is the total (i) expected cost of providing the relevant school desks and (ii) budget provided, (c) who are the service providers and (d) by what date will all school desks be provided? NW2292E

RESPONSE
(a) (i),(aa) and (bb)

Service providers have been appointed through a transversal tender facilitated by the National Treasury to supply school furniture to Eastern Cape schools. The appointed suppliers will be providing a total of 13 different categories of items of furniture from Grade R to Grade 12, including combination desks, tables and chairs. The Department of Basic Education has also, through its intervention, provided furniture to schools in the province. To date, 140 528 units, benefitting 281056 learners have been delivered to 911 schools. Furniture is in the process of being delivered to a further 1174 schools, to benefit an estimated 352 200 learners.

(b) (i) and (ii)Budget required is R 193 186 260.00 , budget available is R100 000 000.

(c) For the DBE intervention, the service providers are the Departments of Environmental Affairs and Labour. For the province the service providers who delivered to 235 schools are Global Tools, Our Bookshop, Milani and Reboni.

(d) It is estimated that deliveries will be completed by January 2015.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1909 (NW2291E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/2014)
1909. Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether she has received the report on the research carried out by the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) during 2013; if not, when does she expect to receive the report; if so, (a) when did she receive the report and (b) when will the report be made public;

(2) Since her reply to question 1067 on 6 June 2013, what are the full details of the steps she (a) has taken and (b) will take in reaction to the NEEDU report of 2012 entitled The State of Literacy, Teaching and Learning in the Foundation Phase, including the (i) timeframe and (ii) directorate and/or programme assigned responsibility for each step;

(3) With reference to her reply to question 1682 on 30 August 2013, whether her department has implemented the norms developed for (a) reading, measured in words per minute and addressing fluency and comprehension, (b) writing and (c) mathematics, as recommended in the NEEDU report of 2012; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case? NW2291E

Response:

Question 1

The Report will be issued on a date to be decided by the Minister.

Question 2

(a) Steps the Minister has taken in reaction to the NEEDU Report of 2012 include the following:

(i) A Reading Plan for Grades R to 12 was developed in April 2013 and disseminated to provinces that were tasked to mediate the plan with districts and schools commencing in May 2013. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) took a decision in April 2013, to request provinces to submit quarterly reading progress reports which respond to these four (4) pillars namely:

Provisioning of resources;
Monitoring and support;
Advocacy and communication; and
Library and Information Services (LIS)

The provincial reading reports are analysed for best practices and a consolidated quarterly report is compiled for the Sector which is presented at different fora such as Council of Education Ministers (CEM), Heads of Education Committee (CEM) and Teacher Development and Curriculum Management (TDCM). Reading promotion and Library and Information Services is a standing agenda item at all these fora.
(ii) The Directorate: Curriculum Implementation and Quality Improvement - GET is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the Reading programme.

(b) Steps that will be taken in reaction to the NEEDU report of 2012:

(i) Reading promotion and Library and Information Services has been identified as one of the Ministerial fast track programmes for 2014-15.

(ii) The Curriculum Branch has been tasked with the implementation of Reading promotion and Library and Information Services interventions and the Directorate:
GET Curriculum is responsible for managing this process.

The following programmes have been planned for 2014-15:

The development of Reading norms for Grades R - 12 aligned to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS);
The implementation of a National Reading Assessment in Grades 1-3 which will be implemented in at least 100 schools per province in 2015;
Support for the strengthening of English as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) in grade 4 through the issuing of an English Storybook to every Grade 4 learner in 2015;
The Launch of Book Flood Campaigns on special days such as Mandela Day in shopping malls nationally commencing in 2014 and beyond;
Advocacy and resuscitation of the Drop All and Read Programme in 2015 and beyond;
The development of digital content (electronic readers) for use in libraries and reading centres in 2015 and beyond;
Collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) to provide access and provisioning of library and information services in 2014 and beyond; and
The establishment of a Reading Sub-directorate and External Reading Office which will implement and monitor reading and Library and Information Service interventions nationally has been approved in March 2014. The Reading Sub directorate and External Reading Office will be incorporated in the Curriculum Branch as part of the organisational review and organogram re-configuration process that is currently under-way.

Question 3

Progress on the implementation of norms:

(a) Reading norms: Reading norms for Grades R-12 have been disseminated to provinces and advocacy sessions for reading norms was done at the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), the Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM), Teacher Development and Curriculum Management and subject committee meetings in 2014. Engagements and discussions with reading experts have concluded that the draft reading norms should be specific to include norms for teaching (teacher norms) and norms for learning (learner norms).

The DBE, in collaboration with provinces and districts is working towards developing relevant reading norms for African languages. Provinces have been encouraged to utilise the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) as a benchmark to inform the number of words per minute to be read in African languages in Grades 1-3. The implementation of reading norms is monitored and evaluated through the provincial quarterly reading reports. The DBE Workbooks have been revised to include 4 Worksheets per week which comprise phonics, vocabulary and comprehension activities.

(b) Writing norms: In preparation for the Annual National Assessments (ANA) the writing norms were disseminated to provinces that were tasked to mediate these norms with teachers. The writing norms were highlighted in the ANA Framework for Improvement 2014 for the Foundation Phase. The DBE Workbooks have been strengthened to include at least 4 Worksheets per week for writing, comprising handwriting activities and at least one activity which focus on the composition of a creative text.

(c) Mathematics norms: In preparation for the Annual National Assessments (ANA) the Mathematics norms were disseminated to provinces who were tasked to mediate these norms with teachers. The Mathematics norms were highlighted in the ANA Framework for Improvement 2014 for the Foundation Phase. The DBE, in collaboration with the Japanese International Co-operative Agency (JICA), rolled out a problem solving project for Grades 1-3 which commenced in February 2013. This project advocates that learners should be exposed to at least three word problems per week. The DBE Workbooks have been revised to include activities on number sense development, computations including money and word problems on all four basic operations.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1907 (NW2289E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/2014)
1907. Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) In respect of each province, what (a) criteria or qualifications are used as minimum compliance requirements for the appointment of National Senior Certificate examination script markers and moderators and (b) procedure is followed to achieve the appointment of each;

(2) whether exam markers have been appointed for each province; if not, when will the appointments be made; if so, when were the appointments made?
NW2289E

RESPONSE
(1) (a)

The criteria used in the selection of markers as stipulated in the Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM) are as follows:

a) A three year post school qualification
b) Appropriate teaching experience, including teaching experience at the appropriate level, in the subject concerned
c) subject applied for must be passed at second year level
d) Language competence in the Language of learning and teaching (LoLT)
e) Preference should be given to serving educators who are teaching the subject at Grade 12

All provinces have complied with the criteria as stipulated in the PAM. Some PEDs have used additional criteria like Learner performance scores, marker competency based on an evaluation of the markers competence from previous marking sessions and one province has administered a competency test.

(1 )(b)
Educators that qualify are requested to apply for the positions of marker, senior marker and deputy chief marker. Application forms of markers are verified by the principal, confirming the teacher's teaching experience and qualifications. The applications are also verified at the district level; by the subject advisors who make recommendations to the provincial selection team.

At the provincial office a selection panel is constituted per subject, comprising an official from the Examinations Directorate who serves as the chair, the Chief Marker, Internal Moderator and Curriculum Experts. The Teacher Unions observe the selection process. All applications are scrutinized by the panel and the markers are selected depending on the number required per subject. per paper

The Examination Directorate then embarks on a final verification process to confirm that the selected markers have the necessary teaching experience and the qualification in the subject. Based on this final verification, the letters of appointment are signed by the Head of Provincial Department.

(2)
All markers have been appointed and this was finalized between 01 August and 26 September 2014

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1887 (NW2268E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF lNTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/10/2014
(lNTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 19/2014)
1887. Mr M H Redelinghuys (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) How many times has her department received a request from the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), in line with section 184(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. 1996, to provide a report on measures taken by her department towards the realisation of the rights in the Bill of Rights concerning housing, health care, food, water. social security. education and the environment in the (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14 financial years. (b) how many times did her department submit such a report to the SAHRC and (c) was each specified report (i) made readily available to the public or (ii) tabled in Parliament? NW2269E

DRE Response

'The Department of Basic Education (DBE) annually receives the request for reports and responses on various issues pertaining to the realisation of rights in line with Constitution from South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). The Department has complied and responded to all requests for information from SAHRC between 2011/12 and 2013/14.

The DBE's responses are sent to the SAHRC for processing. The Department does not publish the correspondence between the SAHRC and the Department as it is understood that the SAHRC will be responsible for releasing this information to the public.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1776 (NW2147E) - Branches C and T
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 26/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Does her department have a nationally approved sign language curriculum; if so, in which provinces is it currently being implemented;

(2) How many (a) teachers in each province in schools for the deaf are (i) qualified and (ii) able to use sign language and (b) deaf teacher assistants in each province are registered with her department;

(3) (a) What guidelines has her department provided to assist teachers at schools for the deaf with the utilisation of workbooks and (b) how many schools in each province have (i) the requisite equipment to be able to record learner assessment activities and (ii)(aa) registered audiologists and (bb) the necessary audio equipment:

(4) How many schools in each province which have boarding facilities cater for deaf learners by providing support staff trained in sign language;

(5) How many deaf learners in each province were able to complete their schooling up to grade 12 in the 2014 calendar year? NW2147E.

Response:

(1) Yes, the Department of Basic Education has approved Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) for the South African Sign Language (SASL) curriculum for grades R-12. The CAPS for SASL will be incrementally implemented starting at Foundation Phase and Grade 9 in 2015 through to Grade 12 in 2018.

(2) (a) (i) 92 teachers of the total number of 1 232 teachers in Schools for the Deaf are qualified in SASL. An additional 127 teachers received some kind of training that covers grammatical or linguistic structure of SASL.

(ii) 859 teachers have received in-service SASL training. However, the number of teachers who are able to use SASL is not known.

Attached find here: (b) 68 Deaf teacher assistants are registered with the Department

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1775 (NW2146E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 26/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 18/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) schools programme (a) what criteria was used to place schools on the list. (b) how many schools were considered and (c) when was the list drawn up;

(2) were all the schools (a) visited and (b) evaluated by her department: if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

(3) were unsuccessful schools notified of such a decision; if not. why not? NW2146E

RESPONSE:

(1). (a), (b). (c)
a) The ASIDI programme considers schools that are built entirely from inappropriate material.
b) 510 schools were initially considered based on information from NEIMS and provincial input.
c) The list was drawn up in 2010.

(2), (a), (b), (c)

Yes the schools were visited. A team of assessors from the programme support unit were sent out to establish the status of the schools in beginning of 2012. Implementing Agents also assess the schools before commencing with the necessary planning.

(3)
Schools on the ASIDI list have either been implemented by ASIDI or other provincial programmes or are in the process of being implemented by ASIDI or other provincial programmes or are undergoing mergers. The merger process is a consultative process undertaken and concluded by the Education Members of Executive Committee (MEC). ASIDI as well as affected stakeholders, is notified of the outcomes of such process by the province. ASIDI therefore implements according to the provincial outcomes.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1774 (NW2145E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 26/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With reference to (a) Nkosibomvu Primary School, (b) Xakani Primary School, (c) Xakani Senior Primary School, (d) Xakani Junior Secondary School, (e) Lugalagaxa Senior Primary School and (f) Lalatshe Senior Primary School in the Eastern Cape, when will these schools (i) receive a desk for every learner and (ii) be provided with (aa) toilets for learners and teachers and (bb) water services? NW2145E

RESPONSE:

(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f).(i), (ii), (aa),(bb)
The schools above are on the list of ASIDI Inappropriate schools and are still to be awarded to implementing agents for provision of all the necessary amenities. DEE has recently finalised framework agreements database and the process of appointing service providers from the same will now commence through DEE procurement processes. The target is to have IAs appointed by end November 2014. Where any of the schools have received services between the inception of ASIDl and now they may not be considered further to benefit from the ASIDl programmes.

The school principals will be informed.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1773 (NW2144E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 26/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (Asidi) schools programme, which schools have been (a) completed and (b) handed over in each province:

(2) for each school. (a) What are the details of the project. Including who was the contractor.
(b) What was the cost of each project and (c) how was each project funded? NW2144E

RESPONSE:

(1)(a) (b)
72 schools have been completed in the Eastern Cape (EC). 6 in the Western Cape and 1 in Mpumalanga. 49 of the 72 in the EC have been handed over to local communities, Principals, educators and learners. Out of the 6 schools completed in the Western Cape. 3 schools have been handed over. A total of 79 schools have been completed. as at 02 October 2014. The list is attached below

(2)
(a) Name of the contractors are listed per schools below.
(b) Expenditure to date per school is provided in the list below.
(c) ASIDl projects are funded from the School Infrastructure Backlog Grant (SIBG)

Attached find here: List of ASIDI schools that are completed

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1771 (NW 2142E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 26/09/2014
{INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER. 18/2014
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether (a) her department or (b) any of the provincial departments is currently party to the contract(s) with the New Leaders Foundation; if so, which departments are party to the contract(s);

(2) Whether a tender process was followed in each case; if so, (a) what are the details of this process, including the names of all bidders, (b) what are the terms of reference and (c) what is the (i) duration and (ii) value of the contract;

(3) What situation(s) gave rise to the need for the contract(s) with the New Leaders Foundation for (a) her department and (b) each of the specified provincial departments? NW2142E

RESPONSES

(1) Whether (a) her department or (b) any of the provincial departments is currently party to the contract(s) with the New Leaders Foundation: if so, which departments are party to the contract(s);

1. a) The Department of Basic Education has an agreement with New Leaders Foundation. b) A similar arrangement is held with the Gauteng Department of Education involving five (5) districts,(Ekurhuleni East, Ekurhuleni South, Gauteng East, Sedibeng East and Sedibeng West).

(2) Whether a tender process was followed in each case; if so, (a) what are the details of this process, including the names of all bidders, (b) what are the terms of reference and (c) what is the (i) duration and (ii) value of the contract;

2. New Leaders Foundation is a non-profit organisation that is currently working exclusively in the education sector. The relationship between the Department and New Leaders Foundation has no financial implication for the Department. a)
There was therefore no need to follow tender processes.

b) N/A
c) i) N/A
ii) N/A

(2) What situation(s) gave rise to the need for the contract(s) with the New Leaders Foundation for (a) her department and (b) each of the specified provincial departments?

3. The DBE engaged the services of New Leaders Foundation after receiving positive feedback in their involvement with the districts in Gauteng where they developed a districts support programme which builds service delivery skills for key officials. teacher centres and district officials while simultaneously providing a managed change process within the system. a) The aim of the partnership was to replicate the best practice in other provinces as the sector rolled out the implementation of the Policy on Roles and Responsibilities of Education Districts.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1731 (NW2095E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
[INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)
Adv A de W Alberts (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many (a) Afrikaans single medium. (b) indigenous single medium. (c) English single medium and (d) dual medium schools (i) are there and (ii) will be established by 2019 in each separate province;

(2) (a) how many formerly Afrikaans single medium schools have been changed into (i) Afrikaans dual medium schools. (ii) English single medium schools and (iii) schools of a different language in each province and (b) for what reason were these schools changed? NW2095E

RESPONSE

Question I (a. b and c)

The following definitions were used to answer the above questions:

Single-medium school: A school that uses one medium of instruction for all learners in all grades.

Parallel-Medium school: A school that practices parallel medium of instruction in all grades

Find here attached: Single-medium school: A school that uses one medium of instruction for all learners in all grades / Parallel-Medium school: A school that practices parallel medium of instruction in all grades

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1680 (NW2041E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether the School Sport Policy and guidelines on sport implementation has been finalised; if so, (a) when was it finalised and (b) has the specified policy and guidelines been distributed to all schools in the nine provinces? NW204E

RESPONSE

a) The consultations with all stakeholders and a call for public comments have been completed.

b) The policy will be gazetted after Council of Education Ministers (CEM) approval. It will then be distributed to all provinces.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1677 (NWZ038E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 39/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) For each province for the 2014-15 financial year, (a) how many educators are employed that are additional to the establishment, (b) what is the cost to each province of the compensation of these educators, (c) what percentage of each provincial education budget does the compensation of these additional educators constitute:

(2) for each province, (a) what circumstance (s) gave rise to the existence of a pool of additional educators, (b) since when has the problem persisted and (c)(i) what measures have been taken and are planned to address the problem of additional educators and (ii) what impact have these measures had? NW2038E

REPLY

(1) For each province for the 2014-15 financial year, (a) how many educators are employed that are additional to the establishment, (h) what is the cost to each province of the compensation of these educators, (c) what percentage of each provincial education budget does the compensation of these additional educators constitute;

(1) (a) The final post establishment for schools for the new school calendar year is declared on 30 September each year. Upon declaration of the post establishment schools identify additional posts and incumbents of such posts. At the time of declaration of the 2014 post establishment a total of 1 1 738 educators were declared in addition to the post establishment at schools (See the Table below). The process of the matching and placement of educators declared in addition is ongoing starting soon after the declaration of post establishments on 30 September each year to time the new post establishment is declared.

Additional educators are matched and placed in vacancies that occur immediately after the declaration of the new post establishment due to growth in leaner numbers in some schools, and in vacancies that occur due to attrition (resignation; retirement, death etc.) throughout the year.

Province	Total educators declared in addition to the school establishment of 2014	Placed/redeployed at end of June 2014
EC	5 859	2 560
FS	2 973	2 056
GP	382	223
KZN	3 541	Update not available
LP	168	41
MP	764	Update not available
NC	79	Update not available
NW	1 075	197
WC	438	78
Total	11 738	5 155

(b) Any apportionment of a budget to the cost of educators in addition will be misleading given the complexity of the post provisioning process. The Department monitors the extent to which PEDs remain with their allocated compensation budgets; that they maintain an acceptable vacancy rate; and that all vacancies are filled within a reasonable period. The following factors need to be considered:

In terms of the post provisioning process, educators declared additional at school level are deployed to existing vacancies through matching and placement. Effectively, there will always be sufficient vacancies to place all educators declared in addition. However, due to other challenges such as skills mismatch, and difficulties in moving educators far from their current workplace, PEDs are not always able to move all educators declared in addition.

In monetary terms, PEDs are able to manage their educator compensation budget provided that they do not remain with a high number of educators in addition. This is the case, given that savings can be made as not all posts are filled at all times during the year. and savings can also be made in the case wherein posts set aside for relief are not all utilized. A combination of these factors can enable a PED to spend within its allocated budget.

c ) As indicated above, any apportionment of a budget to the cost of educators in addition will be misleading given the complexity of the post provisioning process. The focus should be on the monitoring of the overall compensation budget and the extent to which posts arc filled within the allocated budgets.

(2) for each province, (a) what circumstance(s) gave rise to the existence of a pool of additional educators, (b) since when has the problem persisted and (c)(i) what measures have been taken and are planned to address the problem of additional educators and (ii) what impact have these measures had?

(2) (a) The declaration of educators in addition is an inherent feature of the post provisioning model based on the principle of equitable distribution of posts in that a school is allocated posts according to its needs in relation to the needs of other schools. The posts allocated are therefore not in terms of the absolute needs of the school but in terms of its needs relative to other schools. The key is the ability of the system to redeploy all educators declared in addition within a reasonable time, which is before the start of the new school year. Given that school establishments are declared annually, a new pool of educators is declared in addition annually.

(b) As indicated above the declaration of educators in addition is not a problem in itself, it is when a significant number of these educators are not redeployed timeously that it becomes a problem

(c)(i) PEDs are supported to ensure that they remain within an allocated compensation budgets while ensuring that the filling of vacant posts is within the reasonable standards, including maintaining a reasonable vacancy rate. This includes an annual budget standards exercise conducted twice annually to monitor and track expenditure in provinces.

(ii) PEDs are able to manage their compensation expenditure within their budgeted allocations.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1676 (NW2037E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to her reply to question 48 for oral reply on 5 September 2014, what are the details of the 1174 critical posts vacancies identified for filling in the Eastern Cape, including the (a) district, (b) school, (c) post level and (d) phase or subject specialisation for each post;

(2) (a) what number of temporary teachers are currently employed in Eastern Cape schools, (b) what are the details of the allocation of the temporary posts, including (i) district. (ii) school, (iii) post level and (iv) phase or subject specialisation and (c) what are the details of the contracts of these temporary teachers, including the termination dates of the contracts;

(3) whether she will take steps to ensure that there is a teacher in every classroom in the Eastern Cape at the beginning of the 2015 academic year; if not, why not; if so, what are the details of her planned action? NW2037E

REPLY

(1) With reference to her reply to question 18 for oral reply on 5 September 2014, what are the details of the 1171 critical posts vacancies identified for filling in the Eastern Cape, including the (a) district, (b) school, (c) post level and (d) phase or subject specialisation for each post;

(1) (a). {b). (c) and (d) detailed information in Annexure A. see the link: http://www.pmg.org.za/rnw1676-141010annexurea-0

(2) (a) what number of temporary teachers are currently employed in Eastern Cape schools, (b) what are the details of the allocation of the temporary posts, including (i) district, (ii) school, (iii) post level and (iv) phase or subject specialisation and (c) what are the details of the contracts of these temporary teachers, including the termination dates of the contracts;

(2) (a) Detailed information in Annexure B,see the link http://www.pmg.org.za/rnw1676-141010annexureb-0
(b) As in 1d above,
(i) Detailed information in Annexure B.
(ii),(iii) and (iv) information not available
(c) All contracts of temporary educators expire at the end of the school calendar year.

(3) Whether she will take steps to ensure that there is a teacher in every classroom in the Eastern Cape at the beginning of the 2015 academic year; if not, why not; if so, what are the details of her planned action?

(3) The Department monitors the filling of posts in PEDs including the Eastern Cape on a quarterly basis using the sector indicators in the MTSF and sector plan. The Eastern Cape is currently implementing Provincial Collective Agreement I the 2014. This ought to normalise the post provisioning processes in the Eastern Cape to ensure that post establishments are declared regularly and all post provisioning processes are completed on time annually. This will facilitate the filling of vacancies to ensure there is a teacher in every classroom.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1675 (NW2035E) - (P and ODG)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 37/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What is the number of enrolled learners (a) per age and (b) per grade for each grade from Grade R to Grade 12 in public schools in the (i) 2011, (ii) 2012, (iii) 2013 and (iv) 2014 academic years;

2) what are her long-term plans to reduce the number of learners above (a) 18 years of age in public schools and (b) the age grade norm?NW2036E

Attached please find here: Reply

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1606 (NWI 958E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
[INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)

Mr A M Shaik Emam (NFP) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) In view of the serious challenges faced in the country in terms of HIV/Aids, what is the reason for her department's underspending on HIV/Aids educational programmes in the first financial quarter of 2014;

(2) when does her department intend to take steps to (a) accelerate the implementation of HIV/Aids educational programmes, (b) ensure that resources are spent timeously and (c) ensure the ongoing process of educating our learners on the dire consequences of HIV/Aids? NW1958E

RESPONSE:

(1) The first tranche of provincial allocation (R22 104m) was transferred to provinces during the first quarter. Provincial expenditure as at 30 June 2014 was 105.95% (R23 420m) of the transferred funds. Overall, provincial expenditure during the first quarter was on track.

(2) (a) In order to accelerate implementation, provinces are supported to prepare business plans before the start of the financial year. The business plans specify programme activities and timeframes.

(b) Provinces are encouraged and supported to start the requisite procurement processes well in advance, as well as to effect payment for activities conducted within 30 days of receipt of invoices. As per the Division of Revenue Act, every quarter provinces submit reports to the Department, including financial data.

(c) The Department is implementing the HIV and AIDS life skills education in a manner that addresses the risk factors and risk behaviours that lead to the spread of HIV infection.
This approach is guided by global evidence and the Department's Integrated Strategy on HIV. STls and TB. 2012-2014. In this regard. training of educators and learners focuses on the prevention of alcohol and drug use (as alcohol abuse leads to unsafe sex. pregnancy and HIV infection). multiple sexual partners (especially for males). inter-generational sex (young females engaging in sexual relationships with older men) as well as transactional sex. Relevant Learner Teacher Support Material is also procured to enhance teaching and learning.
In addition. the Department implements a package of pro-poor programmes (e.g. school feeding. no-fee schools) aimed at making sure that all children of school-going age can attend school regularly and complete school. Keeping girls in school has been shown by research to protect girls from early pregnancy and HIV infection.
Finally. the Department works very closely with the Departments of Health and Social Development to bring health and social services to schools through the Integrated School Health Programme.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1602 (NWl873E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 19/09/2014
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 17/2014)
Dr W G James (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether (a) her department and/or (b) any entities reporting to her sponsored political party (i) advertisements, (ii) events and/or (iii) paraphernalia in the (aa) 2011-12, (bb) 2012-13 and (cc) 2013-14 financial years; if so, (aaa) for which political party and (bbb) what was the monetary value of the sponsorship in each case? NW1873E

FIND HERE: REPLY

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1572 (NW1942E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16,2014)
Ms S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What is the (a) capacity number of learners, (b) actual number of learners and (c) number of applications for 2015 for the (if Edenglen Primary School, (ii) Dunvegan Primary School, (iii) Eastleigh Primary School, (iv) Hurlyvale Primary School. (v) Cresslawn Primary School, (vi) Edleen Primary School, (vii) Birch Acres Primary School, (viii) Norkem Park Primary School, (ix) Mooifontein Primary School and (x) Jeugpark Primary School;

(2) (a) which of the specified schools exceed the minimum norms and standards and (b) what steps does her department intend to take to rectify the situation?
NW1942E

Response

1. The Department of Basic Education has requested the information from the relevant Province. Once this information has been furnished by the Province, the response will be provided.

2. As above.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1571 (NW1941E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 16120141
Ms S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) What plans are there to build new primary schools in the (i) Edenvale, (ii) Kempton Park and

(iii) Greenstone areas in Gauteng, (b) when will these new primary schools be opened and (c)

what will be their capacity? NW 1941E

RESPONSE:

(a) (i) In the Chloorkop/Phomolong area a new primary school, i.e. Phomolong Primary School has just been completed. The school was officially opened on 11 September 2014. No further schools are planned for the Edenvale area in the current MTEF period.

(ii). The following new primary schools are planned in the Kempton Park area:
1. Esselen Park Primary School
2. New Birch Acres Primary School
3. Clayville Primary School

(iii). No new schools are planned in the Greenstone area. Greenstone is part of the Edenvale area where the existing schools are under-utilized.

(b). In terms of the current planning; construction of Esselen Park Primary School is scheduled to commence in the 2016/17 financial year, the school in Birch Acres in the 2018/19 and the school in Clayville in the 2019/20 financial year.

(c). The three schools will be large schools with a capacity to accommodate approximately a thousand (1 000) learners.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1474 (NW1840E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16/2014)
Mrs Z B N Balindlela (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What is the quantum of funds spent by her department on all advertising for each financial year between 1 April 2010 up to the latest specified date for which information is available? NW1840E

Response

Advertising
Financial Year	R'000
2010/11	4 988
2011/12	5 840
2012/13	9 510
2013/14	14 046
2014/15 – until August 31	2 114

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1442 (NW1807E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16/2014)
Dr A Lotriet (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) Which travel agents has her department used during the period 1 April 2012 up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) what is the quantum of funds spent with each of the specified travel agents in the specified period? NW1807E

Response

The Department has used the following travel agents since 1 April 2012 to date, with their total quantum of funds spent:

Period	(a) Travel Agent	(b) Total quantum of funds spent
01/-4/2012 – 28/02/2013	Travel with Flair	R72 506 760.82
01/03/2013 – date (10/09/2014)	HRG Rennies Travel	R142 444 856.96

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1406 (NW1771E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 16/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(I) What are the relevant details of the process to be followed to obtain concessions by special needs learners for tests and examinations administered by (a) schools for all grades and (b)(i) provincial and (ii) national education departments, including the final national senior certificate examination;

(2) whether any process of appeal against a decision exists; if so, what are the relevant details of this appeal process;

(3) whether prescribed guidelines are used by provincial education departments to inform a decision to grant concessions; if so, what are the relevant details of such guidelines;

(4) what are the minimum qualifications or training required by the persons making the decisions on the granting of concessions? NW1771E

RESPONSE:

1 (a)(b)(i)(ii)

The school identifies the learner that is in need of an assessment concession (accommodation) and the school submits an application together with the supporting documents (evidence) on behalf of the learner to the district office. The supporting documents must include a report by a professional expert who will confirm the barrier to learning that is encountered by the learner. In grades prior to grade 12 the district will evaluate the evidence accompanying the application and based on the information received, the District Concessions Committee will make a decision. The concession approved will apply in the case of all formal assessments conducted by the school or by the provincial education department.

In the case of concessions relating to the National Senior Certificate examination, the application is considered by the District Concessions Committee and presented to the Provincial Concessions Committee for a final decision.

2.
A school may appeal against a decision to the district concessions committee by providing reasons for the appeal. The application will then be re-evaluated and a final decision made which is in the best interest of the learner. Appeals relating to the NSC examination are considered by the Provincial Concessions Committee.

3.
The granting of concession is governed by the National Policy pertaining to the Conduct, Administration and Management of Examinations and Assessment for the National Senior Certificate examination.

4.
The decision relating to the approved concession is not made by a single individual but is considered by a committee at district and provincial level. These committees comprise educational psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and representatives from examinations, assessment, curriculum and the legal services.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1404 (NW769E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether the fourth assessment report of the Southern and Eastern Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) has been made available to her; if not, when does she expect to receive the specified report; if so. (a) why has it not been made available publicly and (ii) on what date will it be available publicly? NW1769E

RESPONSE:

The SACMEQ IV report is not available yet. Data capturing and cleaning are underway and analysis is planned to be completed by December 2014.

(a) The report will be finalised in March 2015 according to the SACMEQ Management Plan.

(b) The Minister will release the report to the public once the SACMEQ Ministers, the managing structure of SACMEQ, have endorsed it.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1403 (NW1768E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16120141
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many Grade 12 learners who are enrolled at public schools only, have registered to write the National Senior Certificate examinations at the end of 2014 (a) in each province, (b) for each subject and (c) in total;

(2) how many learners in (a) public schools and (b) independent schools in each province have registered to write examinations in both mathematical literacy and physical science? NW1768E

RESPONSE:

Question 1

(I)(a) The Table below provides the number of full-time candidates registered at Public schools (it excludes the learners registered at independent schools that write the State NSC examination)

Province	Total Enrolled
EASTERN CAPE	67 087
FREE STATE	26 104
GAUTENG	91 644
KWAZULU-NATAL	143 835
LIMPOPO	70 288
MPUMALANGA	43 488
NORTH WEST	26 001
NORTHERN CAPE	9 318
WESTERN CAPE	46 730
NATIONAL	524 495

Attached find here: Full-time enrollments per subject

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1402 (NW1767E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 16/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether, with reference to continuing professional teacher development, it is her intention to determine that such development is (a) compulsory and (b) a requirement of continued employment as an educator; if not, (i) why not, and (ii) how does she intend to ensure that every teacher engages in continuous professional development;

(2) why teachers are not required to dedicate 80 hours per annum to professional development, as (a) agreed in the Declaration of the Teacher Development Summit 29 June - 2 July, 2009 and (b) contained in the Personnel Administration Measures Chapter A [3.2][d];

(3) whether she will determine that no (a) provincial department of education or (b) independent training provider may present training to educators unless that training has been accredited by the South African Council for Educators; if not, (i) why not, and (ii) how will she ensure that the aforementioned training providers' courses are of satisfactory quality; if so, what are the relevant details? NW1767E

RESPONSES:

'1) Whether, with reference to continuing professional teacher development, it is her intention to determine that such development is (a) compulsory and (b) a requirement of continued employment as an educator; if not, (i) why not, and (ii) how does she intend to ensure that every teacher engages in continuous professional development;

(i) (a) and (b). A system of recording professional development activities has been initiated through the Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) management system which is lead managed by South African Council of Educators (SACE). Paragraphs 59 and 60 of the National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development (NPFTED, 2007), stipulate the provisions for teacher participation in professional development activities.

(ii) The integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development (ISPFTED, 201 1) is the collaboratively agreed plan by all partners to ensure that all teachers participate in teacher development.

(2) Why teachers are not required to dedicate 80 hours per annum to professional development, as (a) agreed in the Declaration of the Teacher Development Summit 29 June - 2 July, 2009 and (b) contained in the Personnel Administration Measures Chapter A [3.2][d];

(2) (a) and (b). The system of recording professional development activities has been initiated through the CPTD management system. All principals and deputies are participating in the system in 2014 and they have to earn 150 points over a three year period. Heads of Departments in schools will begin their cycle in 2015 and post level 1 teachers will begin in 2016. The points required will cover the 80 hours agreed for professional development in the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa (ISPFTED), Personnel Administration Measures (PAM) and Educator Labour Relations Council (ELRC) Collective Agreement.

(3) Whether she will determine that no (a) provincial department of education or (b) independent training provider may present training to educators unless that training has been accredited by the South African Council for Educators; if not, (i) why not, and (ii) how will she ensure that the aforementioned training providers' courses are of satisfactory quality; if so, what are the relevant details?

(a) and (b). In terms of paragraph 57 of the NPFTED and the CPTD management system handbook, all programmes offered to school-based educators should be submitted to SACE for endorsement.

(ii) The system of quality assurance that has been set up consists of specialist evaluators who evaluate all submitted programmes according to the criteria set out in the CPTD management system Handbook and ratified by the multi-stakeholder SACE Professional Development Committee and Endorsement Committee.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1272 (NW1563E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 02/09/2014
(lNTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/20141
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many ordinary schools in each province have been converted into full service schools;

(2) what was the cost of the conversion for each school in each province;

(3) whether each district where a full-service school is located is supported by a district-based support team with skills for special needs7NW1563E

RESPONSE:

(1) A total of 791 ordinary schools have been designated to function as full-service schools since the inception of the programme in 2007.

(2) Rl.17bn in total was spent in the conversion of ordinary schools to full service schools.

(3) 75 out of 79 districts with full service schools have District-based Support Teams that support the schools.

Attached find here: Number of schools designated as full-service schools

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1271 (NWl562E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What number of teachers in each province has received (a) an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) in the field of inclusive education and (b) training in identifying and addressing barriers to learning through differentiating the curriculum, assessment and classroom methodologies, so as to address the diverse learning and teaching requirements of learners? NW 1562E

RESPONSE:

1. From the 2012 Trends in Teacher Education, Enrolment and Graduation Patterns at Public Universities in South Africa, a Department of Higher Education and Training publication, there were 6468 teachers who graduated with an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) in the field of Inclusive Education. The information is not provided by province but by universities. The following are the numbers per university

a) Eastern Cape: Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University – 127
b) Limpopo: University of Venda – 248
c) Gauteng:
▪ University of Pretoria – 3110
▪ University of the Witwatersrand – 11
▪ UNISA – 948

d) North West: University of the North-West – 1957
e) Western Cape: Cape Peninsula University of Technology – 67

2. The number of teachers per province who have received training in 2013 and 2014 in Curriculum Differentiation through the Guidelines for Responding to Diversity in the Classroom is as follows:

Province	Number of Teachers Trained in Curriculum Differentiation in 2013/14
EC	55
FS	Training to be conducted in September 2014
GT	6803
KZN	Training to be conducted in September 2014
LP	102
MP	1450
NC	3783
NW	1200
WC	405
Total	13798

Source: Date provided by provinces in August 2014

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1270 (NWI 561E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 02/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) (a) How many mainstream schools in each province cater for learners with disabilities and (b) what disabilities are catered for in each specified school;

(2) (a) what is her department's budget for (i) inclusive education and (ii) special needs schools and (b) which provinces have used the specified budget for both (i) inclusive education and (ii) special needs schools;

(3) how many of the necessary systems envisaged in the Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education have not been put in place for the full-scale implementation of an inclusive education system? NW1561E

RESPONSE

(1)(a) According to statistics obtained from the Annual School Survey for 2013 the number of public ordinary schools that have admitted learners with disabilities in 2013 is 4222.

(b) The total number of learners with disabilities admitted to ordinary schools in 2013 was 80 702 and the breakdown per disability in order of prevalence was as follows:

Attached find here: Number of learners with disabilities admitted to ordinary schools in 2013

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1268 (NW1559E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether any measures will be taken to ensure that learners in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District of the Northern Cape who have not attended school since the beginning of June 2014 and who would ordinarily be capable of passing their grade, can do so; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details for all grades;

(2) (a) what measures will he taken to prevent protestors from closing the affected schools in the future and (b) what measures will be taken to hold the MEC for Education and the Head of the Education Department in the Northern Cape accountable for their passive response to the school closures;

(3) whether any measures will be taken to ensure that learners in the Eastern Cape who have been denied full access to learning through the high rate of teacher vacancies and who would ordinarily be capable of passing their grade, can do so; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details for all grades;

(4) (a) what measures will be taken to prevent the high level of vacancies, predominantly in Afrikaans-medium schools in the Eastern Cape, in the future, (b) what measures are being taken to ensure an adequate supply of Afrikaans or Afrikaans-speaking teachers and (c) what measures will be taken to hold the MEC for Education and the Head of the Education Department in the Eastern Cape accountable for the lack of planning and management that led to the high vacancy rate? NW1559E


Reply

(1) Whether any measures will be taken to ensure that learners in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District of the Northern Cape who have not attended school since the beginning of June 2014 and who would ordinarily be capable of passing their grade, can do so; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details for all grades;

The Education Department in the province had prepared a catch-up plan to be implemented as soon as learners returned to school. However, the protests continued for too long placing the effectiveness of the plan in jeopardy. By the time the learners returned to school on 22 September 2014 so much had been lost that it became impossible to recover even with the catch-up plan in place. The plan included extra classes, extra material and extended teaching and learning time. A decision has been taken to allow the learners from Grade 1-11 to repeat their grades in 2015.

(2) (a) What measures will be taken to prevent protestors from closing the affected schools in the future?

It is the strike by the community to other service delivery issues, which impacts on schooling. Subsequently it will be difficult for the Education Department to anticipate future community protest.

(b) What measures will be taken to hold the MEC for Education and the Head of the Education Department in the Northern Cape accountable for their passive response to the school closures

The Minister has since made a call for the teachers and learners to be allowed to return to school.

The Northern Cape Education took part in the efforts aimed at resolving the impasse as soon as it emerged that schooling was going to be disrupted.

Minister and the Department have been working closely with the Northern Cape provincial Education Department to engage with the affected stakeholders to resolve the issues. This is in support of the work that has already been done by the provincial Education Department.

(3) Whether any measures will be taken to ensure that learners in the Eastern Cape who have been denied full access to learning through the high rate of teacher vacancies and who would ordinarily be capable of passing their grade, can do so; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details for all grades;

The Eastern Cape PED trill assess the extent to which learners have been affected by the unavailability of teachers and where necessary. additional classes will be arranged for learners to catch up on the curriculum. The province has appointed teachers in affected schools to address the teachers shortages.

(4) (a) What measures will be taken to prevent the high level of vacancies, predominantly in Afrikaans-medium schools in the Eastern Cape, in the future, (b) what measures are being taken to ensure an adequate supply of Afrikaans or Afrikaans-speaking teachers and (c) what measures will be taken to hold the MEC for Education and the Head of the Education Department in the Eastern Cape accountable for the lack of planning and management that led to the high vacancy rate?

(4)(a) The Eastern Cape Department of Education is currently implementing the Provincial Collective Agreement 1 of 2014. Existing vacancies are being filled through redeployment of excess educators and appointment of new entrants. 355 Afrikaans (LoLT) vacancies have been identified in the list of prioritized posts for filling.

(b) The Department believes that there is an adequate supply of Afrikaans teachers in the Eastern Cape. In addition. the Funza Lushaka bursary scheme provides for Afrikaans as one of the priority subjects for which bursaries are available. The existence of vacancies in the province should be viewed in relation to the challenges related to the processes of filling of posts rather than resulting from shortages of educators.

(c) The Department is working with the Eastern Cape Department of Education to ensure that vacancies are filled at schools in line with the Collective Agreement 1 of 2014. All the challenges encountered are collectively dealt with by all stakeholders including teacher unions.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1248 (NW1538E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to the statement by a certain official of her department on 24 August 2014 (name and details furnished), in which municipal areas in the Eastern Cape will the further 100 schools, which are planned for completion in the course of the 2015-16 financial year, be built;

(2) how many of these schools will be (a) primary and (b) secondary schools;

(3) will each of these new schools include a fully equipped (a) library and (b) science laboratory; if not, why not? NW538E

RESPONSE:

1. Amatole District Municipality; Chris Hani District Municipality; Oliver Tambo District Municipality and Joe Gqabi District Municipality

2. 81 Primary schools and 19 Secondary schools.

3. Yes, all schools are provided libraries and science laboratories. Books are supplied for the libraries and science kits to the science laboratories.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1222
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Mr W M Madisha (Cope) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether she has found that her department is achieving any quantifiable success in respect of (a) raising the level of content that learners are taught. (b) increasing the knowledge and skills that educators bring to teaching that content and (c) increasing the learners' active learning of the content as the three areas for improving pupil learning at scale as listed by Harvard University's Professor Richard Elmore; if not, why not; if so, what are the (i) relevant details and (ii) outcomes thereof? NW1460E

Response:

(a) Yes, the Department has achieved quantifiable success in relation to Professor Elmore's areas for improving pupil learning at scale. The Department has raised the level of content that learners are taught, through the following:

i) Redressing the content level

One of the radical changes made by the administration in the new dispensation was to remove the offering of subjects at different levels. All learners are offered subjects at one level without having to register for standard grade or higher grade.

ii) Curriculum Change

The Department recently repackaged the curriculum through the development of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for each subject per phase. The introduction of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) has provided teachers with clearer guidance on what to teach and the pace at which the curriculum needs to be covered. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) provides details on what teachers ought to teach and assess on a grade by-grade and subject-by-subject basis.

iii) National Strategy for Learner Attainment (NSLA)

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) developed the National Strategy for Learner Attainment Integrated Framework for GET and FET schools in alignment to Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025. Its objectives are:

Sustained improvement in learner outcomes or performance;
Enhanced accountability at all levels of the system;
Greater focus on basic functionality of schools;
Protecting time for teaching and learning; and
Increased efforts on time on task.

The Department receives provincial NSLA quarterly reports which are analysed and feedback is provided to provinces for improvement.

The Basic Education Sector has made tremendous progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, including providing for education delivery at different spheres of government. One of the challenges for the national and provincial departments of Basic Education has been to promote and implement changes which lead to improved learner outcomes throughout the Basic Education system.

The Department of Basic Education held the National Support for Learner Attainment Lekgotla in January 2012 with the purpose of standardising provincial interventions in addressing problems of under-performance in schools. The outcome of the Lekgotla was for provincial integration of intervention strategies which would be co-ordinated and resourced maximally. The Department of Basic Education together with provincial education departments instituted the National Support for Learner Attainment (NSLA) with the aim of supporting under-performing schools. Subsequently in 2013 and 2014, the NSIA has been the overarching framework driving the improvement of learner performance.

iv) Meeting with district directors

The Department has prioritised district-based development and management support in order to capacitate districts to respond more effectively to the needs identified in their schools. Through continuous deliberation and efforts, quarterly meetings with District Directors have become institutionalised. The creation of this platform has resulted in more open, honest and constructive engagement on the challenges and the mitigating factors in delivering curriculum support to schools.

Initiatives to address these shortfalls have begun to take shape and efforts to standardise district processes in providing school oversight as well as regular reporting have been implemented. The quarterly meetings with district directors have addressed key issues for improving the quality of schooling.

v) HEDCOM and CEM structures

The Department, through the Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) and the Council of Education Ministers (CEM), ensures that there is progress in achieving quantifiable levels of success. The Minister through CEM, meets regularly to discuss the promotion of national education policy, to share information and views on all aspects of education in South Africa, and to co-ordinate action on matters of mutual interest in order to improve the quality of schooling within the basic education sector. For 2014, there are six (6) scheduled CEM and HEDCOM meetings.

The DBE presents the NSLA feedback provided to provinces to CEM and HEDCOM for approval. The reports are used to track the performance of provinces on the various interventions and activities highlighted in the framework.

vi) Quality and Efficiency

The Basic Education sector has recorded tremendous improvement in access, redress and equity. However, gradual signs of improvement in areas of quality and efficiency are evident, but much still needs to be done. Learning outcomes have shown an upward trend in the national, regional and international tests.
Further, the National Development Plan acknowledges that targets in the Action Plan to 2014 are stretched, but have increased them even further. In addition, the NSLA must ensure that the sector delivers all the aforementioned targets.

The following are quality and process efficiency standards that DEE will implement:
Establish a system of implementation monitoring
Implementation monitoring in unitary states with significant decentralisation is needed for:

- More rigorous oversight;
- Provide early warning of potential challenges;
- Create a lever which national government can use to promote improvement; and
- Form the basis for objective intervention (e.g. Monitoring. Support and Intervention Bill.

(b) The DEE has placed a strong emphasis since 2011 on targeted teacher development as indicated in the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development based on the use of ANA and NSC diagnostic reports. The improvements in the NSC and ANA results in the last two years suggest that the emphasis is in the right places and moving the system in the right direction.

(c) Yes, the Department has increased the learners' active learning of the content with the repackaging of the curriculum through CAPS. The National Curriculum Statement (NCS) Grades R-12 is underpinned by seven principles. One of these principles is Active and Critical Learning which encourages an active and critical approach to learning, rather than rote and uncritical learning of given truths.

This principle has been woven into the teaching practice adopted by teachers of the NCS. Furthermore, the principle also manifests itself in the formal assessment processes, through School-Based Assessment (SBA). The School-Based Assessment is an assessment policy that ensures that assessment takes place at prescribed intervals throughout the school year, ensuring that learning attainment is measured regularly, in all 29 Subjects. The School Based Assessment tasks includes various forms of assessment that encourages active learning such as research activities, projects, data handling activities, practical experiments, investigations, practical assessment tasks etc, that makes learning exciting beyond the four walls of the classroom.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1269 (NW1560E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether minimum requirements exist for every level of office-based educator; if not, (a) why not and (b) what is being done to ensure that such requirements are in place; if so, what are these requirements;

(2) (a) what performance management system is utilised to track the performance of office-based educators, (b) what are the (i) details of the system, including how it is administered, and (ii) key performance areas that are measured and (c) what are the consequences of (i) exceptional performance and (ii) inadequate performance in terms of this performance management system;

(3) whether a database of office-based educators and their profiles is maintained; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will such a database be (i) established and (ii) functional; if so, (aa) how is the database maintained and (bb) for what purposes is the database used? NW1560E

RESPONSE:

(1) Whether minimum requirements exist for every level of office-based educator; if not, (a) why not and (b) what is being done to ensure that such requirements are in place; if so, what are these requirements;

(1) Yes, minimum requirements do exist for the every level of office-based educators.

The appointment of office-based educators is subject to the Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998 as amended. The appointment procedure to be followed is clearly indicated in the personnel regulations, to the Employment of Educators Act, also known as the Personnel Administration Measures (PAM), 1999 as amended. The provision of this act applies in respect of the employment of educators at public schools and departmental offices.

Attached find here: The minimum requirements for appointment are :

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1267 (NW1558E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION ON INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether every provincial Department of Education pays the skills levy. as required, to the Education, Training and Development Practices (ETPD) SETA;

(2) how much funding was (a) available and (b) utilised in each province, via the ETPD SETA for the (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013/4 financial years;

(3) what are the full relevant details of the expenditure for each province for the funding that was utilised in the 2013-14 financial year? NW1558E

Attached find here: Response

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1249 (NW1539E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 05/09/2014
[INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 14/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With reference to a court settlement concluded between the Legal Resources Centre, the Centre for Child Law and her department in 2011 that R8,2 billion would be spent over three financial years to eradicate mud schools, (a) how much was spent and (b) how many building projects were signed off and (c) in each case, who were the contractors?
NW1539E

RESPONSE:

a) Since inception of the programme, expenditure is R2.875 billion broken down as follows per financial year:

▪ In 2011/12 expenditure was R76 million
▪ In 2012/13 expenditure was R859 million
▪ In 2013/14 expenditure was R1 357 million

For the current year expenditure is R580 million as at the end August 2014.

Attached find here: 275 schools provided with sanitation and 265 provided with electricity

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1178 (NW1416E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms L V James (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether (a) she and (b) the Deputy Minister has each employed a ministerial special advisor; if so.

(2) (a) what is the name of the special advisor, (b) when was the advisor appointed, (c) what are the duties of the advisor, (d) at what post level was the appointment made, (e) what is the salary level of the advisor, (f) what is the duration of the employment contract entered into with the advisor and (g) why was it necessary to appoint the advisor? NW1416E

RESPONSE
1 (a) The Minister of Basic Education has not appointed a Special Advisor.

(b) The Deputy Minister of Basic Education did not appoint a Special Advisor.

2 N/A

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1117 (NW1355E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Dr G A Grootboom (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education

How many ordinary public schools were operational in each province in the (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 academic years? NW1355E

Reply:

Table 1: Number of ordinary public schools, by province, in 2013 and 2014

Province	2013	2014
Eastern Cape	5 562	5 554
Free State	1 327	1 306
Gauteng	2 056	2 070
KwaZulu-Natal	5 937	5 915
Limpopo	3 924	3 930
Mpumalanga	1 768	1 762
Northern Cape	553	551
North West	1 551	1 515
Western Cape	1 458	1 458
Total	24 136	24 061

Source:
2013: As published in School Realities 2013
2014: SNAP survey 2014

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 11 16 (NW1354E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Dr G A Grootboom (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

How many teachers have been appointed in each province in the (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 academic year for Grades (i) 1-3, (ii) 4-6, (iii) 7-9 and (iv) 10-12 in ordinary public schools? NW1354E

Attached find here: Number of teachers in public ordinary schools per province by type of school

Reply received: October 2014

WRITTEN REPLY
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
QUESTION 1115 (NW1353E)
Dr G A Grootboom (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What criteria must be met to be appointed as Director-General of Education in each province? NW 1353E

Response

The Minister does not appoint Superintendents-General in each province. This is the responsibility of the Premier of each province. The Public Service Act, 1994 (section 12(1) entrusts - Premiers with the power to deal with the appointment and other career incidents of a Head of the Office of a Premier, Provincial Department or Provincial Government Component.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1109 (NW1347E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ma H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What was the (a) total budget allocated to the rural allowances of educators and (b) amount spent (i) in the (aa) 2011-12, (bb) 2012-13 and (cc) 2013-14 financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2014;

(2) what total amount of rural allowance payments for each province (a) are due to educators and (b) have been due for more than three months;

(3) how many educators in each province are affected by the non-payment;

(4) whether the policy with regard to the payment of rural allowances to educators has been fully implemented, if not, what plan is in place to rectify the lack of implementation including the (a)(i) targets and (ii) time frames and (b) budget of the plan? NW1347E

Attached find here: Reply

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1108 (NW1346E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many contracts were awarded to a certain construction company (name furnished) for (a) building schools and/or hostels and (b) performing any other work at schools and/or hostels in each province;

(2) what were the total contract amount for each contract;

(3) were all the projects completed within the contract period; if not, (a) how many were not completed within the period. (b) in respect of each specified project, what (i) was the duration of the delay and (ii) were the penalties imposed and (c) how many projects were abandoned:

(4) what amount was paid to the construction company for all (a) completed projects and (b) abandoned projects? NW1346E


Attached find here: Response

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1107 (NW1345E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What was the average cost for building a school in each of the provinces in the (a) 2009-l0,(b)2010-11,(c) 2011-12,(d) 2012-13 and(e) 2013-14financial years;

(2) (a) what are the names and addresses of schools which were built in each specified financial year and (b) when were these schools handed over? NW1345E

RESPONSE:

We are still waiting for the Provincial Education Departments to furnish us with the details of schools built in each year. We will provide the consolidated response once we receive the information from the Provinces.

Reply received: November 2014

QUESTION 1106 (NW1344E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) (a) How many schools have libraries in every province and (b) how many of these libraries are fully equipped with books and library resources;

(2) (a) how many of these schools have appointed qualified library teachers and (b) how many of them are (i) permanent and (ii) temporary appointments;

(3) are these libraries available to learners and teachers after teaching hours?

Response

1. (a) The National Guidelines for School Library and Information Services (DBE, 2011) set the following reasonable standards for a central school library:

Adequately stocked learning resources and reading/referencing material;
Range of fictional reading material for a range of reading levels;
Accessible throughout the day and afternoon;
Educator or librarian or member of staff dedicated to the management of the library; this person should work with the school management team;
Linked to classroom libraries;
Integrated with ICT centre; and
A centralised and accessible space.

According to the 2011 Report on the National School Monitoring Survey there are 10721 schools across the nine provinces that do not meet the reasonable standards for a central school library, while 11677 meet the reasonable standards.

Attached find here: Table 1 and Table 2

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1105 (NW1343E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to item I0 of the Regulations Relating to the Exemption of Parents from Payment of School Fees in Public Schools, gazetted on 18 October 2006 in terms of the SA Schools Act. Act 84 of 1996, what are the (a) full details of the measures developed by each of the nine provinces and (b) details of any challenges experienced in implementing these measures;

(2) in the event that any of the nine provinces has not developed measures, what action she has taken or will take to ensure such development and implementation? NW1343E

RESPONSE

(1) With reference to item 10 of the Regulations Relating to the Exemption of Parents from Payment of School Fees in Public Schools, gazetted on 18 October 2006 in terms of the SA Schools Act, Art 84 of 1996, what are the (a) full details of the measures developed by each of the nine provinces and (b) details of any challenges experienced in implementing these measures;

(1) (a) Provinces have not developed measures on the exemption of school fees because they are applying the national regulations as they are. There was no need for provincial deviations and therefore provinces instead developed circulars to guide schools and governing bodies on the implementation of the national regulations.

(b) There are two main challenges experienced in the implementation of the measures. The first challenge is the lack of information by qualifying parents to apply for school fees exemption. Some parents are uncomfortable to declare their financial status which is a requirement by the measures. The second challenge is the reluctance by school governing bodies to grant exemption to qualifying parents.

The Department has intervened by making it compulsory to provide information to parents during registration on the process of applying for school fees exemption in writing. Circuit Managers in districts are responsible as part of their work to adjudicate on the refusal by governing bodies to grant school fees exemption to qualifying parents.

(2) in the event that any of the nine provinces has not developed measures, what action she has taken or will take to ensure such development and implementation?

Implementation of the Regulations Relating to the Exemption of Parents from Payment of School Fees is taking place across all provinces and therefore no action is necessary to enforce the promulgation of provincial regulations.

The department has intervened by making it compulsory to provide information to parents during registration on the process of applying for school fees exemption in writing. Circuit managers in districts are responsible as part of their work to adjudicate on the refusal by governing bodies to grant school fees exemption to qualifying parents.

(2) Implementation of the Regulations Relating to the Exemption of Parents from Payment of School Fees is taking place across all provinces and therefore no action is necessary to enforce the promulgation of provincial regulations.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1104 (NW1342E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 12/2014)
Mrs AT Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
QUESTION:

(1) With reference to her reply to question 214 on 18 March 2014, what are the details of (a) action taken and (b) action planned, for each one of the Ministerial Task Team findings, as listed in Annexure A of her reply;

RESPONSE:

(1) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) took the following actions in response to the Ministerial Task Team recommendations and findings:

(a) Action Taken

In response to the recommendation to establish the MST Office, DBE has:

Appointed a Project Manager in May 2014 to operationalise the MST Directorate and establish the MST National Institute and 9 Provincial Institutes;
Developed a Concept Document for the establishment of the MST Office, MST
Directorate, MST National Institute and Provincial MST Institutes; and
The MST Office and the MST Directorate have been established.

The 2nd MST Round-table held on the 18 March 2014 approved the following recommendations:

Establishment of a Steering Committee comprising the DBE, DST and DHET;
Development of a three pronged MST Integrated Framework (Annexure A) addressing short-term (50 days), medium-term (2014/15 financial year) and long-term (2014.19) activities to strengthen the MST Strategy (2001); and
Development of an Integrated MST Strategy, utilising the following base documents; National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology for GET and FET 2001, Ministerial Task Team report, MST Implementation, etc.
Strengthen the MST Strategy by linking it with government priorities of Skills Development;
Utilise the inter-governmental agreements to maximum resources; and
Encourage learners to participate in science and mathematics competitions which assist learners in the development of critical thinking skills.

The Trilateral Steering Committee

The steering committee was confirmed and launched at the 28 May 2014 meeting.
The following officials represent DBE, DHET and DST respectively:
DBE is represented by the Chief Directorate: Curriculum, Implementation and Monitoring incorporating the MST Directorate; the Chief Directorate: National Assessment and Public Examinations and Chief Directorate: Education Human Resource Development;
DST is represented by the Youth and Science Directorate; and
DHET is represented by Educator Qualifications and Initial Teacher Training Programmes

The Integrated MST Strategy

On the 27 August 2014, the steering committee held a workshop where the MST Strategy (2001) was reviewed. The DBE, DST and DHET made presentations with regards to what they envisaged the new updated MST Strategy should look like. The meeting ended with the nomination of a writing team. Their first meeting (writing session) is on Thursday, 4Ih September 2014.

(b) For each one of the Ministerial Task Team findings, as listed in Annexure A of her reply;

Reply: Small Multi-grade Schools which make it Difficult for Effective Teaching and Learning to Take Place: Merger and Closer of Non-Viable Schools: In July 2009, the "Guidelines for the rationalisation of small or non-viable schools", were approved and published to be used by provinces for the rationalisation of small or non-viable schools. The guidelines outline the process to be followed when non-viable schools are to be closed or merged with other schools. It further gives guidance on the criteria for entering into a Section 14 Agreement and the role of all role players in the rationalisation process. These guidelines are currently being revised and strengthened.

Plans are underway to establish an interprovincial Committee on Rationalisation of Schools which will amongst other things work on the following:

Terms of Reference for the rationalisation of small, non-viable schools;
Develop a plan of action;
Report on and agree on targets per province;
.Develop a reporting modality.

Provision of infrastructure: The micro schools which are mostly multi-grade schools are being provided with the minimum areas that will ensure that the schools have an environment that is conducive to teaching and learning.

School Hostel Guidelines: A Guideline Document for Functional School Hostels was developed and disseminated to schools with school hostels. The guidelines are being used by such schools to ensure that the school hostels are properly managed and run at all times. The purpose of this document is to:

Provide guidance to schools regarding school hostels:
Assist schools in drafting their School Hostel Policy;
Assist schools with the daily management of the school hostels; and
Assist the department at all levels with monitoring of school hostels.

Scholar Transport: Provinces are continuing to provide needy learners with a safe and reliable transport to ensure that learners are able to access the schools with ease

Reply: Ineffective post provisioning norms (PPN) for multi-grade schools

During 2013. DBE commissioned research to review progress with the implementation of Post Provisioning Norms and assessing the impact of teacher provisioning. planning, utilisation and deployment through funding from the United Nations Children's Fund (IJNICEF). The service provider, conducting workshops in all nine provinces with key officials involved in the post provisioning process. The research work commenced in February 2013 and was concluded in September 2017.

One of the main findings of the report was the different ways in which the Post Provisioning Norms (PPN) and processes are implemented in Provincial Education Departments (PEDs).Variances were noted in policy interpretation and Implementation, use and familiarity with the software developed to support PPN policy implementation and Post Provisioning business processes.

UNICEF has agreed to further fund a project aim at corrective measure to address the issues identified during the research project. particularly the standardisation of the Implementation of the PPN policy in a holistic way. A compulsory briefing session was hosted by the DBE on the 17th of February 2014. It was expected that a service provider would be appointed by the end of March 2014. To-date we are awaiting UNICEF to finalise and appoint the service provider.

Reply: Inadequate co-ordination with other state departments, agencies, NGOs and corporate

The DBE has strengthening the relationships with all its stakeholders.
Strategic partnerships have culminated into amongst other things, the development of supplementary materials, for example.

Physical Sciences. Mathematics and Life Sciences Siyavula textbooks),
Sasol-Inzalo MST Grade 4-9 hybrid workbooks;


the screening of revision lessons for Mathematics and Physical Sciences by Primestars through their programme "educate Math & Science Matric Revision".
The JICA problem solving Grade 1-6 Mathematics resources through partnership with Japan.
The China agreement the minister has secured to explore the resourcing of technical schools equipment and science equipment and instruments,
The DBEIDST and DHET have developed the Trilateral Integrated Framework.
The MST Strategy is being reviewed by the three departments.

Reply: Ineffective Resource allocation and utilization for MST implementation .

The Dinaledi and Technical Schools' Conditional Grants have been reviewed to resource the MST Office and other schools, including Dinaledi feeder schools.

Reply: Integration of ICT in Teaching and Learning

Inadequate utilization of ICT to support MST: ICT Integration in Mathematics Initiatives: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Provincial Education Departments (PDEs) through the MTSTE, e-Learning units and private sector partnerships have implemented ICT interventions aimed at improving learner attainment in mathematics through the use of ICTs.

Mobile Platform:

MoMath - This is content platform that delivers high quality online mobile mathematics experience direct to South African learners. This platform combines excellent mathematics learning materials in a mobile friendly format, combined with social networking tools (MXit) which allow for groups of learners to collaborate on mathematics

Dr Math tutoring project: This is an online math tutoring service hosted by the CSIR Meraka Institute in South Africa, which aims to support school learners in South Africa with Mathematics. It is predominantly accessed through the mobile social networking service MXit.

Quizmax: This application provides Maths and Science revision quizzes developed by experienced teachers directly on cell phones. Learners are able to receive immediate feedback (answers plus reason for the correct answer).

Mathematics application and software packages: Selected schools wit11 ICT infrastructure have received proprietor drill and practice as well as mathematics teaching software.

Mathematics courseware on DVDs has been provided to schools especially Dinaledi schools

Dinaledi schools: 125 Dinaledi schools received Internet connectivity form the 2010
FlFA Legacy Project. More ICT Integration Interventions in mathematics are targeted through the conditional grant of Dinaledi schools.

Vodacom Maths and Science project: 180 (20 per province) received ICT equipment, connectivity and Maths and Science (content and ICT integration) training for teachers.

QUESTION 2

(2) Whether she plans to implement testing of the content knowledge of Mathematics teachers; if not, (a) why not, (b) how she will determine competency levels of teachers and (c) how she will ensure that learners are not exposed to teaching by persons who do not have the required subject knowledge or competence; if so. what are the relevant details;

REPLY:

(a) The Self-Diagnostic Assessments will be done by teachers to determine their own content gaps and needs.

(b) The results of the assessments will indicate the competency levels of teachers in both content and pedagogical knowledge.

(c) A follow-up from the analysis of the assessments 'results will be a dedicated content training programme for teachers which will focus on the identified content gaps. The Department will prepare and deliver Mathematics content materials to all Teacher Centres that are ready to be utilised by teachers.

QUESTION 3

(3) What are the details of her plan to ensure that every secondary school offers Mathematics as a subject choice? NW1342E

REPLY:

Action planned

In October 2011 the DBE issued Circular S6 of 2011 on Subject Choices for the National Senior Certificate. In that circular the department noted the pitfalls that learners encountered when combining Physical Sciences with Mathematical Literacy. The DBE had advised schools to give the necessary guidance to learners on the feasible and appropriate subject choices. However, the Circular is a guideline for schools.


In Circular 56 of 2011 it was stared that DBE was considering the possibility of making the necessary policy changes that will require from those learners opting for Physical Sciences to offer Mathematics instead of Mathematical Literacy.

In view of the observations noted in paragraphs above, the DBE has decided to amend National Education Policy and Regulations to allow for the following addition to the current provisos as contained in paragraph 28 of the policy document. National Curriculum Statement Grades R - 12, for implementation in Grade 10 in 2015, Grade 11 in 2016 and Grade 12 in 2017.

"Learners offering Agricultural Sciences, Accounting, Economics, Geography, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences as one or more of their optional subjects selected from Group B must offer Mathematics as a compulsory subject selected from Group A,"

At this stage learners are not compelled to offer Mathematics and Physical Sciences in combination, however it would be advisable if schools could give the necessary guidance with regard to feasible and appropriate subject choices, especially to those learners entering the FET Phase in 2015.

The envisaged policy change will not affect the 2014 Grade 10 and Grade 11 cohorts of learners who will be allowed to complete their National Senior Certificate during the period 2015-2017 in terms of the existing programme and promotion requirements as stipulated in the policy document, National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R - 12, promulgated in Government Gazette No. 34600 of 12 September 2011.

Section 20 of the policy document, National policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R - 12; and regulation 5(1) of the Regulations Pertaining of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R - 12 regarding provisos; will be amended accordingly.

The DBE has set targets for provinces to increase the number of learners offering Mathematics from 2015 such that the ratio of learners offering Mathematics to Mathematical Literacy by 2019 should be 90:10 in Grade 10, Grade 11 - 80:20 and Grade 12 - 70:30, This implies that in 2015, at least half of the total enrolment of learners in Grade 10 must offer Mathematics to achieve the ratio of 90: 10 in 2019.

CEM has also issued a directive that Dinaledi schools should from 2015 work towards offering Mathematics in Grade 10 as an attempt to increase the number of Mathematics learners.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1103 (NW1341E
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to her reply to question 645 on 29 July 2014, (a) when, (b) why and (c) by whom the decision was made to implement the revised technical schools curriculum in January 2016 rather than the previously decided implementation date of January 2015;

(2) What are the details of the consultation with or notification of stakeholders that has taken place (a) prior and (b) subsequent to the decision to alter the implementation date;

(3) Whether the consideration of the recommendations contained in The Ministerial Task Team Report on the National Senior Certificate will delay the implementation of the revised curriculum for technical schools even further; if so. what are the relevant details;

(4) When the norms and standards for technical high schools will be (a) finalised, (b) gazetted and (c) implemented? NW1341E.

Response:

(1) (a) After consultation with provinces between April 2014 and June 2014, it became clear that the system was not ready to implement the CAPS for Technical Secondary Schools in 2015.

(b) The proposed year of implementation was January 2015. The following conditions necessitated the postponement to January 2016:

▪ the implementation is dependent on the reconfiguration of the Technical Schools Recapitalisation Grant. While National Treasury has granted DBE permission to reconfigure the grant, this can only be done after the Medium Term Budget Statement;

▪ the reconfiguration of the grant has a direct impact on -
teacher training;
the audit of Technical Secondary Schools and resources; and
the printing and distribution of the Technical CAPS documents.

In 2015, after the successful reconfiguration of the grant, the DBE will be preparing the system by offering teacher t training, auditing of Technical Secondary Schools and printing and distribution of the Technical CAPS.

(c) Based on the above reasons provided in 1 (b), the Department of Basic Education took a decision to postpone the implementation to January 2016. This proposed date will be gazetted in January 2015.

(2) (a) and (b) Consultation was done at various levels and with various stakeholders in the following forums:

▪ The Inter Provincial Steering Committee meetings, that comprise representatives from provinces;
▪ The Joint Teacher Development and Curriculum Management forum meetings that comprise representatives from provinces, unions and Higher Education Institutions.
▪ The Department of Basic Education is currently in a process of developing a circular to formalise the decision.

(3) No, the preparedness of the system was the determining factor. The Ministerial Task Team's report proposes the increase of the participation rate of learners in Technical Subjects and does not pronounce on the new curriculum or its implementation. The scheduled date of January 2016 for implementation therefore will not constitute a delay.

(4) (a) In compliance with the provisions of the South African Schools Act and the National Education Policy Act, as amended, the Department of Basic Education will not be developing Norms and Standards for Technical Schools. The Department is, however, in a process of developing Norms and Standards for Focus Schools. These Norms and Standards will include Technical Schools as part of the list of Focus Schools in the country. The Norms and Standards for
Focus Schools will include schools offering the following subjects:

▪ Engineering and Technology: Electrical Technology. Mechanical Technology, Civil Technology and ▪ Engineering Graphics and Design;
▪ Agriculture: Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Management Practices and Agricultural Technology;
▪ Culture and Arts: Dramatic Arts. Music, Dance Studies, Design and Visual Arts;
▪ Services: Consumer Studies, Hospitality Studies and Tourism;
▪ Computer: Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology; and a Maritime Studies: ▪ Maritime Economics and Nautical Science

The draft document related to the Norms and Standards has been endorsed by all executive structures of the Department including Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) and Council of Education Ministers (CEM). The document is now with the legal services section to ensure that it meets all the legislative prescripts.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1086
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms NR Mashabela (EFF) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) What progress has been made regarding the investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal in KwaZulu-Natal involving senior members of her department and members of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union and (b) why is her department hiring teachers on a temporary basis? NW1324E

(b) Why is her department hiring teachers on a temporary basis?

Response:

(a) What progress has been made regarding the investigation into the alleged cash-for-jobs scandal in KwaZulu-Natal involving senior members of her department and members of the SA Democratic Teachers' Union and (b) why is her department hiring teachers on a temporary basis?

(a) Minister Angie Motshekga has established the Task Team after recent media reports alleging that some posts in the education sector were sold for cash. The task team consists of seven members, including the independent chairperson. The task team includes a lawyer, an independent education expert, a representative from the public service commission, a representative from the Justice Department, an independent Auditor and an independent HR practitioner, a representative from the Department of Basic Education and the chairperson who is a respected independent expert in the field of education.

The Chairperson of the Task Team has indicated that the first meeting of the Task Team should take place before the end of September 2014.

The names of the task team members will be published in a Government Notice.

(b) Why is her department hiring teachers on a temporary basis?

Due to the imperative that no class must be without a teacher, temporary appointments are made in vacant substantive posts as soon as they become vacant. Temporary educators are largely appointed for a period of the academic year in order to ensure that there are less disruptions at schools. In instances where there is a resignation or death or a teacher going for maternity leave in the course of the year, appointment of professionally qualified educators who fully match the profile of the post is secured temporarily to ensure that no learner is without a teacher.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1085
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014
Ms N R Mashabela (EFF) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What steps can her department take to enforce compliance with norms and standards in those schools who fail to do so? N01323E

RESPONSE:

In terms of Sub Regulation 6(a) and Subregulation 7, a Member of the Executive Council must report annually to the Minister of Basic Education on plans on the manner in which the norms are to be implemented and also annually report on the implementation of the plans.

Failure to comply with the said sub-regulations may lead to the withholding of funding from the Education Infrastructure Grant to the province in terms of the Division of Revenue Act and any dispute arising there from will be dealt with in terms of Subregulation 20.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1082
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Mr D H Khosa (ANC) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With reference to the President's statement in the state of the nation address on 17 June 2014 regarding the allocation of school furniture, what progress has her department made with the finalisation of this programme of allocating school furniture? NO1302E

RESPONSE:

The Department of Basic Education ordered 73 084 double combination desks from the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). To date 23 680 desks consisting of 12 885 primary school desks and 10 795 secondary school desks have been delivered to 251 schools in the Libode district. A total of 47 360 learners benefited from the project. In addition, the department has delivered furniture to 49 Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) schools for each learning space provided. A total of 4 800 double combination desks were delivered to these schools benefiting 9600 learners. A further delivery of 67 541 double combination desks to eight districts is planned to commence as soon as planning has been concluded.

The Eastern Cape Department of Education also started delivering 35 399 tables and chairs in September 2014. 115 schools will be benefiting from this delivery. Finally furniture for the remaining 2 142 schools will be addressed through a transversal contract facilitated by National Treasury. Delivery is estimated to commence in November 2014.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1079
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 12/2014
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

What number of (a) SA Sign Language teachers are required for the implementation of sign language at home language level and (b) teachers are currently considered appropriately qualified? NO1258E

Response:

(a) Following the findings of the audit that was conducted in 39 Schools for the Deaf in 2013, the following are numbers of SA Sign Language teachers that are required for the implementation of Sign Language at home language level per phase:

▪ Foundation Phase = 351
▪ Intermediate Phase = 90
▪ Senior Phase = 90
▪ Further Education and Training Phase = 48

(b) The audit revealed that 92 teachers are currently appropriately qualified in SA Sign Language.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1076 (NW1246E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 29/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 12/2014)
Mr W M Madisha (Cope) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether she has taken all necessary steps to ensure that all classes were suitably staffed with appropriately qualified teachers and that no class was without any teacher for longer than five working days since 1 January 2014; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW1246E

REPLY

Due to the imperative that no class must be without a teacher, temporary appointments are made in vacant substantive posts as soon as they become vacant. Temporary educators are largely appointed for a period of the academic year in order to ensure that there are less disruptions or instability at schools which may result from unnecessary terminations and new appointments in the middle of the academic year. Only in limited instances wherein un-or-underqualified educators appointed need to be replaced with qualified educators or where a province is dealing with movement of excess teachers from the area of excess to area of need can terminations occur in the middle of the year. Similarly, in cases of planned absence such as maternity leave, suspensions, temporary ill-health leave a relief educator is placed in a post as soon as the incumbent vacates such a post.

In order to fast-track the appointment of post level one educators in posts, in April 2013, the Council for Education Ministers (CEM) approved a strategy and guidelines requiring Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) to discontinue advertising post level one posts and filling such posts through the matching and placing of qualified educators to posts. Sources of qualified educators include the National Recruitment Database, recruitment databases in some PEDs, unplaced Funza Lushaka graduates.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 1019 (NW1172E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether her department, as part of their one school per week project, will hand over any schools in Limpopo during the remainder of the 2014-15 financial year; if not. Why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW1172E

RESPONSE

There are three schools being built through ASIDI in Limpopo namely. Molepo Primary School, Sedibeng Special Schools and Honoko Primary School. Construction started in March 2014 for Molepo Primary School and Sedibeng Special Schools and April 2014 for Honoko Primary School. We expect construction to take approximately 12 months.

Therefore they will only be handed over approximately in May 2015.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1018 (NW1171E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 1012014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) (a) How many schools in each province have science laboratories and (b) how many of these laboratories are fully equipped;

(2) (a) how many of these schools have appointed qualified science teachers and (b) how many of these appointments are (i) permanent or (ii) temporary?
NW1171E

Attached find here: Response

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1017 (NWI 170E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether her department has an audit of all the school construction projects that have been abandoned by contractors in each province; if not, when will her department do an audit; if so. what are the relevant details;

(2) whether her department has taken over any school construction projects that have been abandoned: if so what are the relevant details;

(3) whether her department is involved in any legal actions against contractors involved in abandoned school construction projects: if so: what are the relevant details;

(4) how many school projects have been abandoned in each province due to her department's outstanding payments to contractors and in each case what are the relevant details?
NW1170E

RESPONSE:

I ) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has not conducted an audit of all the school construction projects that have been abandoned by contractors in each province

2) The Department has not taken over any school construction projects that have been abandoned in provinces.

3) As indicated above, The Department of Basic Education is not directly involved in legal actions against contractors, as contractors and Professional service providers enter into agreements with implementing agents through provincial departments.

4) The National Department of Basic Education does not have any defaulting contractors as a result of non-payment, in any projects managed by the DBE. Further, the department does not at this stage have information on school projects abandoned in each province due to outstanding payments to contractors, if there are any.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 1016 (NW1169E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

With regard to the non-renewal of contracts for temporary educators in some provinces, what plans are in place to (a) deal with the overcrowding of classes in the affected schools and (b) assist learners in the necessary subjects for which educators are not present? NW1169E

REPLY

(a) Due to the imperative that no class must be without a teacher, temporary appointments are made in vacant substantive posts as soon as they become vacant. Temporary educators are largely appointed for a period of the academic year in order to ensure that there are less disruptions or instability at schools which may result from unnecessary terminations and new appointments in the middle of the academic year. Only in limited instances wherein un-or-underqualified educators appointed need to be replaced with qualified educators or where a province is dealing with movement of excess teachers from the area of excess to area of need can terminations occur in the middle of the year. In instances where there is a change of teacher in the middle of the year, appointment of professionally qualified educators who fully match the profile of the post is secured as a permanent transfer which does not affect the class size since we are only replacing a temporary teacher with an excess teacher. This means that the change in teacher in the middle of the year has not resulted in overcrowding, since the school is not left without a teacher.

At this stage no province is planning to terminate temporary educators in vacant substantive posts randomly in the middle of the academic year where this can be prevented. However, provinces that have not completed moving their excess educators will still have to do this in order to avoid over-expenditure in personnel.

(b) As indicated above there are no plans to terminate temporary educators unnecessarily and where this does occur, the teacher that replaces the temporary teacher is qualified and an experienced teacher who is well versed with the curriculum requirements and can therefore continue where the temporary teacher left off.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 1015 (NW1168E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether a monitoring mechanism is in place to determine (a) the number of learners affected by substance abuse and (b) which grades are mainly affected; if so, what are the relevant statistics for the (i) 2012, (ii) 2013 and (iii) 2014 calendar years;

(2) what is the measured impact of the life orientation curriculum on the prevalence of substance abuse of learners;

(3) whether she has interacted with school principals and school governing bodiess at primary school level to determine the number of learners who may be affected by substance abuse; if not, why not? NW1168E

RESPONSE

1. All schools have Incident Reporting Registers to record incidents related to the use/abuse of illegal substances. This information remains with the school for the purposes of District Monitoring. The Department is in no position to determine the number of learners affected by substance abuse nationally.

2. There has been no study done on the impact of the Life Orientation curriculum on the prevalence of substance abuse of learners.

(2) In both Grades 7 and 8, the topic Health, Social and Environmental Responsibility addresses the subtopic Substance Abuse. In Grade 7, this subtopic is allocated 4 hours in term 3 and in Grade 8 it is given 3 hours in term2.

In Grade 7, teachers focus on the following:

▪ Types/forms of substance abuse;
▪ symptoms of substance abuse;
▪ personal factors that contribute to substance abuse: intrapersonal and interpersonal;
▪ protective factors that reduce the likelihood of substance abuse; and
▪ preventative measures; early detection.

In Grade 8, the focus is on the following:

▪ appropriate behaviour to stop and avoid substance abuse; refusal and decision-making skills;
▪ long and short term consequences of substance abuse; and
▪ rehabilitation options: where to find help, care and support.

Through education and awareness and continuous discussion, schools are trying to address issues of substance abuse not only through the Life Orientation subject but also through other subject such as Languages, Maths etc. Consistent messages, statistics and visuals are used in lessons to make learners aware of the dangers of substance abuse. Schools invite social partners and other stakeholders to provide talks to learners on substance abuse.

The responsibility of substance abuse prevention belongs to many individuals and groups, not just school-based prevention programs including:

▪ Adolescents: Peer mentoring and leadership programmes mobilise a powerful prevention force and demonstrate the benefits of prevention and the importance of youth as prevention partners.
▪ Parents: Parents provide role models, define standards of behaviour and achievement, set limits and provide consequences for risky behaviours. Regarding drug and alcohol abuse, parents must discuss the issue as often as possible with their children.
▪ Communities: Even subtle pro-alcohol and drug abuse messages should be examined and countered. Youth access to drugs, tobacco and alcohol need to be firmly controlled. Legislation should be enforced and balanced with opportunities for positive youth involvement.

3. Yes, the Department developed a National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Drug use amongst Learners in Schools, and extensively consulted with all relevant stakeholders at provincial and national levels.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 1014 (NW1167E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff(DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether, with regard to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), all schools and/or sites in all provinces have been provided with cooking equipment in the 2014-15 financial year; if not, (a)(i) which schools did not receive such equipment and (ii) in which provinces is each specified school located and (b) why did they not receive the equipment; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2) whether her department provided guidelines to service providers on food safety and hygiene; if so, what mechanisms are in place to monitor compliance;

(3) whether provinces have complied with the guidelines; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details;

(4) (a) how many (i) schools and (ii) service providers in each province have not complied with the guidelines and (b)(i) were the specified schools and service providers subjected to penalties and (ii) how many have rectified the problem?
NW1167E

Response to Question 1

The Department has not supplied cooking equipment to all schools and/or sites in all provinces in the 2014115 financial year due to the limited budget for the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) allocated by National Treasury that caters largely for the cost of the meals. Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) target selected schools in line with available funds to progressively provide schools with equipment and utensils.

(a)(i) and (ii) Provinces annually determine the schools most in need, the specific equipment and eating utensils needed as well as the actual available funds to be utilised. Collated data is not yet available from provinces on procured equipment and utensils as procurement processes are still underway. Provinces have been informed to report on this data at the end of the financial year. The Department of Basic Education will support and monitor provinces in this regard.

(b) Not all schools have been provided with equipment. The provincial education departments target a limited number of schools in line with the limited available budget as most of the National Treasury allocation is intended to buy food. According to the 2014/15 approved provincial business plans, the nine provincial education departments have allocated a budget to the total of R24.1 million to procure cooking equipment and eating utensils for targeted schools.

Procurement processes are currently underway in provinces with delivery anticipated by the end of the financial year.

Response to Question 2:

Yes, during the procurement process, service providers are provided with guidelines and food specifications for the menus, transportation and safety of food. The Department periodically interacts with food manufacturers and suppliers across provinces to ensure that the required food products supplied to schools meet the required quality and hygiene standards. In this regard, the DBE randomly collects samples of products to assess compliance and remedial action is taken as necessary. The Department of Basic Education has further developed the NSNP Safety Directory for schools (accessible at www.education.gov.za . The NSNP Safety Directory was distributed to provinces for distribution to NSNP schools. The Directory is used during training on NSNP Food preparation that is provided on an on-going basis. Schools are regularly monitored by districts and provinces to ensure adherence to safe and hygienic practices.

Response to Question 3:

Provinces generally adhere to minimum safety and hygiene guidelines to ensure safe and nutritious meals.

Response to Question 4:

(a) (i) Provinces, through district and circuits, are required to monitor all NSNP schools.
Deviation by schools is addressed by monitors and their respective districts and/or circuits during monitoring at schools.

(ii) Each provincial education department collates information on the number of non-compliant service providers. Cases of non-compliance are resolved on site by monitors, circuits and districts during school monitoring visits. Service providers' deliveries are checked by assigned

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 958 (NWI 107E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: FIFTH PARLIAMENT
Ms A T Lovernore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Which national or provincial department(s) is responsible for (a) ensuring the establishment of Grade R classes such as that all eligible children have access to such classes, and (b) funding the infrastructure and operational costs of Grade R classes or centres, and (c) funding the salaries or stipends of Grade R practitioners;

(2) Which national or provincial department(s) is responsible for (a) determining the demand and supply with respect to Grade R practitioners, (b) planning to ensure that a sufficient number of grade R practitioners obtain accredited qualifications in order to satisfy future demands, and (cO funding the training of Grade R practitioners via accredited programmes;

(3) (a) How she anticipates that funding will be sourced to cover the cost of increasing the Grade R participation rate to 100%, and (b) whether she is planning to implement a Grade R conditional grant to provinces; if so, what are the relevant details?

RESPONSE:

(1) (a) Provincial Education Departments are responsible for ensuring the establishment of Grade R classes such that all eligible children have access to such classes.

(b) Provincial Education Departments are responsible for funding infrastructure and the operational costs of Grade R classes or centres.

(c) Provincial Education Departments are responsible for funding salaries or stipends of Grade R practitioners.

(2) (a) Provincial Education Departments are responsible for determining the demand and supply with respect to Grade R practitioners.

(b) Department of Basic Education and of Higher Education and Training are responsible for planning to ensure that a sufficient number of Grade R practitioners obtain accredited qualifications in order to satisfy future demands.

(c) It is the responsibility of the Provincial Departments of education to follow the guidelines provided by the DBE in this regard and make budget provisions for the funding of upgrading of Grade R qualifications through their equitable share.

(3) Since Grade R has been identified as national priority 100% coverage of Grade R will be funded through the national fiscus. No, there is no plan to implement a Grade R Conditional Grant.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 957 (NWI 106E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) (a) What mechanism she will utilise to ensure that principals and deputy principals are held to account for the performance that will be required of them and (b) when she will commence with the implementation of this mechanism;

(2) whether the 5th revised draft of the Quality Management System for School-Based Educators. as negotiated through the Education Labour Relations Council, dated 25 March 2013: has now been signed by all parties; if not, (a) which parties have not signed the document, (b) what reasons were provided by the parties that have not signed the document and (c) what action has been or will be taken to ensure finalisation of the document? NW1106E

RESPONSE :

(1) (a) What mechanism she will utilise to ensure that principals and deputy principals are held to account for the performance that will be required of them and (b) when she will commence with the implementation of this mechanism?

(1) a) The Quality Management System (QMS) for school-based educators will require that Principals and Deputy Principals sign annual work plans with clear targets and deliverables. The purpose of the work plan is to commit and guide the Principal and Deputy Principal to work efficiently in order to achieve the targets agreed to in the work plan with his/her supervisor and to improve service delivery in schools.

In the interim, the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) instrument is used to evaluate and hold Principals and Deputy Principals accountable in terms of the ELRC Collective Agreement No. 8 of 2003.

b) The QMS document is currently at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and is awaiting finalisation from the Teacher Unions. Implementation of the process will commence after the signing of the agreement at the ELRC.

(2) Whether the 5th revised draft of the Quality Management System for School-Based Educators, as negotiated through the Education Labour Relations Council, dated 25 March 2013, has now been signed by all parties; if not, (a) which parties have not signed the document, (b) what reasons were provided by the parties that have not signed the document and (c) what action has been or will be taken to ensure finalisation of the document?

(2) a) The Quality Management System (QMS) for school-based educators is at the level of the ELRC and has not been signed by all parties.

b) The SAWU requested more time to consult with its members on the QMS instrument.

c) The Department awaits the resumption of the ELRC bargaining process to finalise an agreement with the Unions.

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 956 (NW1105E)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)
Mr M H Redelinghuys (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many (a) investigations were conducted for (i) overbilling and (ii) overcharging for goods and services rendered by external contractors and service providers for the (aa) 2009-10, (bb) 2010-11, (cc) 2011-12, (dd) 2012-13 and (ee) 2013-14 financial years, (b) of these investigations were conducted (i) internally, (ii) by the Office of the Public Protector, (iii) by the SA Police Service. (iv) by the Special Investigating Unit or (v) by external private sector entities;

(2) in each case where investigations were conducted by an external private sector entity who was the entity;

(3) what (a) amount was lost by his department due to (i) overbilling or (ii) overcharging- and (b) was the (i) outcome of each investigation and (ii) breakdown of rn6nies recovered for each specified financial year NW1105E

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, WRITTEN REPLY, QUESTION 956 (NWIIOSE)
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 22/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 10/2014)

Mr M H Redelinghuys (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

1) The Department of Basic Education started to function independently on 01 April 2010. Since then, no cases have arisen where the Department has been (i) overbilled or (ii) overcharged for goods and services rendered by external contractors or service providers and therefore there are no instances where it was necessary to conduct internal investigations, or investigations conducted by the Office of the Public Protector, the SA Police Services, the Special Investigating Unit or external private sector entities;

2) Not applicable

3) Not applicable

Reply received: October 2014

QUESTION 890
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 01/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTIONS PAPER: 07/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether her department has taken any steps to ensure that every school has onsite maintenance staff to address the decline of school infrastructure; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW979E

RESPONSE:

Currently, no norms exist for the provision of posts to schools in respect of support staff. Support staff, such as general assistant, cleaner and foreman, should be appointed at schools in accordance with the Guidelines on Provisioning of Support Staff to Schools. In order to enforce compliance with the guidelines, an implementation protocol has been developed to manage the relationship with the provinces.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 889
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 01/08/2014
(lNTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) (a) How many of the 24 793 public ordinary schools are using pit latrines and (b) when will these schools be provided with the flush toilets:

(2) (a) how many public ordinary schools are without adequate sanitation and (b) when will they be provided with the necessary infrastructure;

(3) (a) which provincial departments have ensured that schools have implemented the regulations for minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure as published by her in November 2013 and (b) what are the reasons for those that have not? NW978E

RESPONSE

1. (a)
In terms of the National Education Infrastructure Management System (NEIMS) as at tile end of July 2014, there are 6357 schools with pit latrines only countrywide. It should however be noted that the NEIMS system is updated on a regular basis, based on the completion of water and sanitation provision projects.

(b)
In terms of sub-regulation 12 (3) (a) of the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, promulgated on 29 November 2013 sanitation technologies could be waterborne, small bore sewer reticulation. septic or conservancy tanks, ventilated improved pit latrines or composting toilets. The choice of an appropriate sanitation technology must be based on an assessment conducted on the most suitable technology for each school. As such, it is not a foregone conclusion that all schools should be provided with flush toilets as for an example: some areas do not have access to reliable water supply to support the provision of flush toilets. However, in terms of regulation 4 (I) (b) (I), and regulation 4 (2) (b) all schools that do not have access to any form of sanitation must be prioritized and be provided with such within a period of three years from the date of publication of the regulations.

2. (a)
There are currently 196 schools without adequate sanitation on the NEIMS database as at 31 July 2011 (NEIMS 2014). These exclude pit toilets as indicated in 1 (a) above. These will be addressed by Provincial Education Departments in line with the Regulations Relating to Minimum Norms Standard Public School Infrastructure.

(b)
As indicated in 1 (b) above. the sector aims at ensuring that by 2016 all schools have basic services as required by the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms Standards for Public School Infrastructure.

3.(a)(b)

All provinces are implementing the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms Standards for Public School Infrastructure for all new schools. additions. alterations and improvements, as per sub-regulation 4 ( 1 ) (a) with the exception of those which planning has already been completed as per sub-regulation 4 (2) (a). However. sub-regulation 4 (2) (b) states that these, as far as practicably possible, must be revised and brought in line with the regulations.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 888
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: /07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: (NW977E) FIFTH PARLIAMENT
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What are the (a) names of the members and (b) the organisation or sector represented by each member of the SA Council for Educators (SACE) and (c) what method of appointment applied in each case including (i) the identification by the organisation or sector and (ii) appointment by the Minister;

(2) What programmes does the SACE organogram comprise;

(3) (a) what posts does the SACE organogram comprise and (b) in each case, what are the names of the employees who occupy each specified post and (b) how long has the incumbent occupied the post? NW977E


Find here: RESPONSE

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 886
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 01/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education

With reference to her Budget Vote speech, delivered in the National Assembly on 15 July 2014, (a) what are the details of her announcement that she has invoked sections 3 and 8 of the National Education Policy Act, Act 27 of 1996, (b) why did she make this decision and (c) what (i) is she going to do as a result of the decision. (ii) time frame is attached to the relevant activities and (iii) outcome(s) she aims to achieve as a result of this decision? NW975E


NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. WRITTEN REPLY. QUESTION 886
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL Q~IESTION PAPER: 01/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 07/2014)

Ms A T Lovernore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) Section 3 of the National Education Policy Act refers to the Minister's power to make policy on a wide range of issues as set out in the section. Section 8 gives the Minister wide ranging power to direct that the standards of education provision, delivery and performance be monitored and evaluated with the object of assessing progress in complying with the Constitution and national education policy. The monitoring and evaluation must be done on the basis of analysis of education data obtained from the education management systems or by other means and a report must be compiled after each investigation. This report must be submitted to the relevant competent authority. The Minister shall inform the relevant provincial political head to provide her with a plan within 90 days of submission of the report if the report shows that the standards of education provision, delivery and performance does not comply with the Constitution or national policy. This plan must within 21 days upon receipt thereof be submitted to Parliament.

(b) To improve the standards of education provision, delivery and performance.

(c) (i)To hold provincial education departments accountable to ensure that there is compliance with the Constitution and national education policy with regards to the standards of education provision delivery and performance.

(ii) Please refer to (a).

(iii)To hold provincial education department political and administrative heads accountable in order to ensure improved standards of education provisioning delivery and performance.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 885
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 01/08/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTlON PAPER: 07/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether her department's management response to the Department of Performance Evaluation and Monitoring (DPME) report entitled the Impact of the Introduction of Grade R on Learning Outcomes, submitted to the DPME under cover of a letter from the Acting Director-General on 14 April 2014, has been (a) submitted to Cabinet for approval and (b) approved by Cabinet; if not, why not, in each case;

(2) whether an approved Grade R improvement plan based on the recommendations of the DPME report has been completed; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will this plan be completed; if so,

(3) whether it is publicly available; if so, where can it be accessed? NW974E

RESPONSES

(1) (a) Yes, the management response was submitted to the Cabinet Committee.
(b) Yes, it was approved by the Cabinet Committee on 19 March 2014.

(2) Yes, the Grade R improvement plan is based on the recommendations made in the report.

(3) Yes, it is available on the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) website.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 801
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether (a) she, (b) the Deputy Minister, (c) the Director-General or (d) any of her staff (i) attended, (ii) accepted an invitation and/or (iii) received tickets to the 2014 Soccer World Cup in their official capacity; if so, what are the relevant details including the (aa)(aaa) names and (bbb) positions of those who attended and (bb) breakdown of the amounts spent by his department on (aaa) travel, (bbb) accommodation, (ccc) entertainment and (ddd) any further specified expenses;

(2) (a) what is the breakdown of the amount spent by her department on any persons accompanying (i) her, (ii) the Deputy Minister, (iii) the Director-General or (iv) any of her staff to attend the 2014 Soccer World Cup including (aa) travel, (bb) accommodation, (cc) entertainment and (dd) any further costs and (b) in each case, what is the (i) relationship and (ii) reason for accompanying the relevant person? NW888E


Response:

1. (a) - (d) Neither I, the Deputy Minister, the Acting Director-General or any other official from the Department of Basic Education received any tickets or attended the 2014 Soccer World Cup.

2. (i) - (iii) Not applicable

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 752
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
Ms A Steyn (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) How many (i) judgments and (ii) court orders were made against her department in the (aa) 2010-11. (bb) 2011-12, (cc) 2012-13 and (dd) 2013-14 financial years and (b) in each case, (i) how many of these (aa) were implemented and (bb) await implementation by her department and (ii) what was the nature of the (aa) judgment and/or (bb) court order? NW839E

Find here: Response

Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION 715

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)

Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many (a) social workers and (b) psychologists are provided in each education circuit in each province;

(2) What actions are taken to ensure that they are properly equipped to assist learners experiencing difficult circumstances;

(3) Whether (a) her department and (b) each provincial education department provides a call centre where immediate advice and assistance is given to callers in distress; if so, what are the relevant details for each such call centre? NW799E

RESPONSE:

(1) The total number of social workers appointed in the respective Provincial Education Departments is 138. The majority of social workers are appointed at provincial district levels and only 49 of the 138 social workers are appointed at the circuit level in the Western Cape and 47 appointed in special schools respectively in the Free State and Gauteng.

The total number of psychologists appointed in the respective Provincial Education Departments is 248. The majority of psychologists are appointed at provincial and district offices but of the 248 psychologists, 49 are appointed at circuit offices by the Western Cape Province whilst 98 of the total are appointed in special schools in Free State, Gauteng Province and Western Cape respectively.

A breakdown of numbers per province is provided in the link below.

http://www.pmg.org.za/rnw715-140908breakdown

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 713
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many early childhood development (ECD) centres have been (a) built and (b)(i) registered, (ii) resourced and (ii) equipped in each province;

(2) (a) how many unregistered ECD centres have been identified in each province;

(3) what measures have been put in place to ensure that no further informal ECD centres become operational;

(4) is the database of all ECD programmes available to the public; if so, what are the relevant details;

(5) (a) how many staff members are delivering the ECD programmes, (b) how many are (i) qualified and (ii) unqualified and (c) what is being done to ensure the necessary qualification and training for those who are unqualified? NW 797E


RESPONSE:

(1) (a) The information has been requested from the Department of Social Development who is responsible for the Early Childhood Development programme
(b)(i) Same as (1)(a)
(ii) Same as (i)(a)
(ii) Same as (i)(a)

(2) (a) Same as (i)(a)
(3) Same as (i)(a)
(4) Same as (i)(a)

(5) (a) Same as (i)(a)
(b)(i) Same as (i)(a)
(ii) Same as (i)(a)

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 712
DATE OF PURLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPERS: 0612014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to her reply to question 42 on 30 June 2014, when will the Sector Plan to guide the procurement and delivery of textbooks be made public;

(2) What are the detailed (a) performance targets, (b) time frames and (c) performance indicators of the plan;

(3) What are the details of the regular Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) visits planned to the Eastern Cape including the (a) number of visits, (b) dates of each visit and (c) departmental official/s who will attend;

(4) What are the details of the regular LTSM meetings with the Limpopo Department of Education (a) for the 2013-14 financial year and (b) that are planned for the 2014-15 financial year including the (i) number of visits, (ii) dates of each visit and (iii) attendant department official/s? NW796E

Response:

The Sector Plan is actually a public document and is available to any member of the public. The plan has already been communicated to provinces for alignment.

2(a) The Sector plan makes provision for the following phases:

▪ Phase 1 : Development, provision and distribution of national catalogues;
▪ Phase 2: Departmental readiness for ordering of textbooks and stationery;
▪ Phase 3: Schools prepared for requisition process;
▪ Phase 4: Requisition process for schools;
▪ Phase 5: Receiving and distribution; and
▪ Phase 6: Monitoring and reporting.

2(b) LTSM is provided to schools by the end of December every year.

2(c) Provincial LTSM Procurement Management Plan finalized for implementation as follows:

i. the national catalogue 6s finalised and distributed
ii. the departmental has put procurement systems in place;
iii. all requisition orders have been placed;
iv. Textbooks have been ordered from the publishers and delivered to schools;
v. The reports have been received from districts and forwarded to the provincial offices

3(a) The DBE and PEDs meet quarterly to discuss progress regarding the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools. Eastern Cape Education Department is part of the Quarterly Forum meetings. The DBE has appointed an Administrator in the province to oversee the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools. DBE has also planned three (3) visits to the Eastern Cape.

3(b) Planned dates to visit Eastern Cape are:

▪ 12 August 2014;
▪ 12 September 2014; and
▪ 10 November 2014.

The LTSM Unit at the DBE conducts random visits to the province when the need arises. Eastern Cape Province was visited by the DEE team comprising of Mr HM Mweli (Branch: C Head); Mr A. Subban (LTSM: Director); Mrs K Manona and Mr S Sibiya (LTSM officials) to monitor the universal coverage of textbooks and stationery at schools.

DBE had the following visits to the Eastern Cape Province:

Province	Date
Eastern Cape	07 June 2013
Eastern Cape	05 August 2013
Eastern Cape	29 August 2013
Eastern Cape	13 December 2013
Eastern Cape	28-31 January 2014
Eastern Cape	16 April 2014

3(c) Over and above the existing personnel in the province, the DBE has appointed an official at a Deputy Director level to intensify the monitoring and support in the province regarding the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools. The following DBE officials will attend on an alternative basis: Mrs PT Tyobeka: Provincial Delivery Oversight Unit (PDOU); Mr HM Mweli (Branch: C Head); Mr A. Subban (LTSM: Director) and his team.

4(a) The DEE and PEDs meet weekly to discuss progress regarding the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools. Limpopo Education Department forms part of the Quarterly Forum meetings held at DBE. The DBE has appointed an Administrator in the province to oversee the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools.

4 The weekly meetings focused on the following key areas:
▪ The finalization of Provincial learner data:
▪ The finalization of Provincial catalogues;
▪ Monitor the delivery of LTSM by publishers to LDoE;
▪ Monitor delivery of LTSM by delivery agents to schools:
▪ Monitor compliance of SLA
▪ Report and address LTSM shortages

4(a)(i) The number of visits for the 2013114 financial year by DBE officials add to 32 visits.

4(a)(ii) Dates of each visits are as follows:

DBE & LDoE Weekly LTSM Meeting
Month	Week	Week	Week	Week
April
May		20-21	23-24	29
June
July	4-5
August	7	21	28
September	4	12	25
October	2	9	16	30
November	7	13	20-21	27
December	4
January		15	22
February	4	12	19
March	11	19	26

4(a)(iii) The Department officials who attended on an alternative basis were Mr MC Matthews: Provincial Administrator in Limpopo; Mr HM Mweli (Branch: C Head); Mr A. Subban (LTSM: Director) and his team.

The LTSM Unit at the DBE conducts random visits to the province when the need arises.

4(b)(i) The number of visits for the 2014114 financial year by DBE officials add to 45 visits.

4(b)(ii) Dates of each visits are as follows:

DBE & LDoE Weekly LTSM Meeting
Month	Week	Week	Week	Week
April	2	9	16	23
May	7	14	21	28
June	4	11	18	24
July	2	9	16	23
August	6	13	20	27
September	3	10	17
October	1	8	15	22
November	5	12	19	26
December	3	10	17
January		14	21	28
February	4	11	18	25
March	4	11	18	25

4(b)(iii) Over and above the existing personnel in the province, the DBE has appointed an official at a Deputy Director level to intensify the monitoring and support in the province regarding the procurement and delivery of LTSM to schools. The following DBE officials will attend on an alternative basis: Mr MC Matthews: Provincial Administrator in Limpopo; Mr HM Mweli (Branch: C Head); Mr A. Subban (LTSM: Director) and his team.

The LTSM Unit at the DBE conducts random visits to the province when the need arises

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 710

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/07/2014

(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)

Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many Grade 12 learners, in each province, have registered to write the National Senior Certificate examinations at the end of 2014 (a) in total and (b) for each subject;

(2) how many learners, in each province, have registered to write examinations in (a) both mathematical literacy and life sciences, (b) both mathematical literacy and accounting and (c) both mathematical literacy and civil, electrical or mechanical technology;

(3) whether she intends to take any steps to ensure that learners are not permitted to take subject combinations that will not assist them in their adult lives; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW794E

RESPONSE:

Question 1(a) - Candidates enroled for NSC in 2014

Sub-Syst	Exam Date	Reg-Type	Province	Entered
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	EASTERN CAPE	70 169
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	FREE STATE	26 973
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	GAUTENG	101 627
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	KWAZULU-NATAL	146 737
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	LIMPOPO	74 115
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	MPUMALANGA	46 303
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NORTH WEST	26 382
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NORTHERN CAPE	9 647
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	WESTERN CAPE	49 165
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NATIONAL	551 118

Data as at 17 July 2014

Source: NSC Exam Mainframe System

Question 1(b) – See attached link. file://server/pmg%20shared/WORD%20DOCUMENTS/Questions/RNW710A-140911.htm

Data as at 17 July 2014

Source: NSC Exam Mainframe System

Question 2(a) - Candidates Registered for both Mathematical Literacy and Accounting

Sub-Syst	Exam Date	Reg-Type	Province	Total No
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Eastern Cape	6 695
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Free State	4 083
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Gauteng	7 466
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	KwaZulu-Natal	13 165
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Limpopo	661
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Mpumalanga	6 438
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	North West	2 633
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Northern Cape	1 138
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Western Cape	4 755
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NATIONAL	47 034

Data as at 17 July 2014

Source: NSC Exam Mainframe System

Question 2(b) - Candidates Registered for both Mathematical Literacy and Life Sciences

Sub-Syst	Exam Date	Reg-Type	Province	Total No
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Eastern Cape	17 257
National Senior Certificate	201412	Full time	Free State	5 432
National Senior Certificate	201413	Full time	Gauteng	12 471
National Senior Certificate	201414	Full time	KwaZulu-Natal	28 340
National Senior Certificate	201415	Full time	Limpopo	910
National Senior Certificate	201416	Full time	Mpumalanga	10 137
National Senior Certificate	201417	Full time	North West	7 902
National Senior Certificate	201418	Full time	Northern Cape	3 908
National Senior Certificate	201419	Full time	Western Cape	14 703
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NATIONAL	101 060

Data as at 17 July 2014

Source: NSC Exam Mainframe System

Question 2(c) - Candidates Registered for both Mathematical Literacy, Civil Technology, Electrical Technology and Mechanical Technology
SubSyst	ExamDate	Reg-Type	Province	Total No
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	Eastern Cape	233
National Senior Certificate	201412	Full time	Free State	927
National Senior Certificate	201413	Full time	Gauteng	1 068
National Senior Certificate	201414	Full time	KwaZulu-Natal	1 455
National Senior Certificate	201415	Full time	Limpopo	19
National Senior Certificate	201416	Full time	Mpumalanga	568
National Senior Certificate	201417	Full time	North West	857
National Senior Certificate	201418	Full time	Northern Cape	154
National Senior Certificate	201419	Full time	Western Cape	2 274
National Senior Certificate	201411	Full time	NATIONAL	7 555

Data as at 17 July 2014

Source: NSC Exam Mainframe System

3. The Ministerial Committee established to review the National Senior Certificate, has made a recommendation relating to subject combinations that constitute the NSC. The Minister will consider these recommendations and will amend policy where necessary to ensure that this problem is addressed.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 691
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06/2014)
Mr W M Madisha (Cope) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

Whether her department had taken any steps to ensure that teachers in all schools were (a) corning to school regularly. (b) on time. (c) in their classrooms busy teaching and (d) delivering quality content: if not. why not: if so. what (i) are the details for the period 1 January 2012 up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (ii) have been the outcomes? NW775E

REPLY

(a) Yes, over and above the work that provinces do in taking steps to ensure that teachers were coming to school regularly, on time in class and teaching my Department utilises the integrated Quality Management (IQMS) and Whole School Evaluation (WSE) processes to evaluate and monitor schools in all provinces for the period in question.

Schools were evaluated in the provinces by 132 WSE supervisors while the Department of Basic Education (DBE) deployed 69 IQMS external moderators to monitor the implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in schools.

789 schools were evaluated by WSE supervisors from 2012 to 2014. The findings show that 757 (i.e. 96%) of the evaluated schools had established procedures to deal with absence, control of leave and the signing of the attendance register by teachers. It was also found that at the evaluated schools, principals ensured that these procedures were implemented so that the school functions optimally and learning and teaching is uninterrupted.

Furthermore, in 2012, moderators also monitored 5 581 schools in the Eastern Cape and collected data on teacher absenteeism. The findings showed that a total of 7 804 teachers were absent on the day of the moderator's visits from 23 July to 23 October 2012. The data showed that on average at least one (1) educator per day was absent at each of the schools in the province. 803 (i.e. 10%) of the 7 804 teachers absent from schools were principals.

The reasons for their absence ranged from sick and family responsibility leave to attending meetings in the district.

The above information has been used for effective planning and to make decisions and support districts on teacher attendance in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning

(b) The WSE supervisors report on whether teachers are in classes on time. The findings of WSE supervisors show that the 757 ( i e 96%) of the evaluated schools had established procedures to deal with lateness and the signing of the early departure registers by teachers. Principals ensured that the established procedures were implemented to support school functionality.

(c) The WSE and IQMS processes are used to monitor teaching in the classroom.

During visits to 5 612 schools in 1 April 2012 to 30 June 2013, moderators found that Heads of Departments (HODS) as well as school principals were conducting classroom observations in order to provide support to teachers and enhance the quality of lessons in the various subjects. The quality of these reports ranged from 'good' in Gauteng to 'meeting minimum standards' in the Eastern Cape.
The WSE supervisors' reports indicate that 97% of evaluated schools use period registers to monitor class attendance by teachers. The finding was that teachers honour their periods and teaching takes place in these schools.

(d) Yes, most of the teachers are delivering quality content. However, there are a number of teachers who require support in their subject knowledge.

(i) Moderators observed the lessons of 1 481 teachers from 2012 to 2013. The purpose of these observations was amongst others:

▪ to verify the lesson observation reports of the School Management Teams (SMTs);
▪ to identify best practices and areas in need of improvement; and
▪ to strengthen classroom teaching by providing support and development to teachers.

The findings showed that while teachers were prepared for lessons in most schools, there was a need to increase learner participation in lessons.

The utilisation of the DBE workbooks was monitored in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 the national average on the utilisation of workbooks was 77%. This increased to an average of 81% at the 1 759 schools monitored during the first quarter of 2013114. The findings showed that the level of utilisation was highest in the Western Cape (96%), followed by North West (88%) and Free State (87%).

During visits to profile 12 884 schools from June 2013 - March 2014, moderators found that:

▪ Teachers at 8 838 (i.e. 69%) of the schools completed an itemised analysis of Annual National Assessment (ANA). The purpose of the item analysis is to assist teachers to select and implement classroom-based interventions for improving learner performance, especially in Languages and Mathematics; and

▪ Teachers at 7 229 (i.e. 56%) of schools were implementing an ANA performance improvement plan.

WSE supervisors conducted an average of 5 lesson observations during a school evaluation. Since 2012, it was found that in 751 (i.e. 95%) of the 789 evaluated schools, teachers displayed relevant subject content knowledge and used teaching aids such as posters and subject related materials to enhance learning and teaching. Teachers also employed relevant pedagogy and assessment strategies. These teachers prepared comprehensive lesson plans that were pitched at the correct level for the grades.

The IQMS appraisals of teachers also identified teachers with "unacceptable" levels of performance. The IQMS appraisal instrument comprises classroom observation in the first four performance standards as follows:

▪ Creation of a positive learning environment;
▪ Knowledge of curriculum and learning programmes;
▪ Lesson planning, preparation and presentation; and
▪ Learner assessment and achievement

The IQMS appraisals of teachers also identified those teachers who were not performing at an acceptable level in terms of the IQMS. These are summarised over two years as follows:

Year	Educator (PL1)	HOD (PL2)	Deputy Principal (PL3)	Principal (PL4)	Total
2012	730	397	210	342	1 679
2013	649	182	161	206	1 198

Teachers who were not performing at acceptable levels were provided with the required support by the provinces through mentoring and further training where necessary.

Furthermore, in 2013, a total of 75 224 teachers on all post levels participated in developmental activities in areas identified in the School Improvement Plans as well their Personal Growth Plans (PGPs). As a result, in 2013, there was a decrease in the number of teachers who were not performing at an acceptable level in terms of the IQMS.

Information on above is available as at 31 March 2014.

(ii) In 2013. there was a decrease in the number of teachers who were not performing at an acceptable level in terms of the IQMS.

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 645
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(lNTERNAL OUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether, with reference to the revised curriculum statement for technical subjects such as technical mathematics and technical sciences, the (a) writing and (b) editing of the revised curriculum and assessment policy statement (CAPS 2) for all technical subjects has been completed; if not, (i) why not, in each case and (ii) when will each process be completed; if so,

(2) With reference to the revised CAPS 2 for technical schools and new norms and standards, (a) when will it be gazetted and (b) why was it not gazetted by the target date of April 2014?

(3) Whether the implementation of the revised CAPS 2 will take place in January 201 5 in Grade I0 in technical schools; if not, why not;

(4) (a) When will the audit of technical secondary schools as focus schools be undertaken, (b) by whom will this audit be carried out and (c) why was this audit not carried out by the target date of June 2014;

( 5 ) Whether the training of teachers in the revised CAPS 2 will be carried out in August 2014; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will the training be conducted; if so. what are the relevant details? NW729E

RESPONSE:

(1) (a) The writing of Technical Mathematics and Technical Science was completed together with the CAPS for Technical High schools in January 2014.

(b) (i) The editing, printing and layout of all CAPS for Technical High Schools is underway.

(ii) 'The process of editing, printing and layout of CAPS for Technical High Schools will be completed before the end of 2014.

(2) (a) The CAPS were gazetted on the 18 July 2014.Specifications for the norms and standards will form part of the norms and standards for focus schools which are currently being developed by the legal directorate.

(b) Due to the process of consultation with all the stake holders and the process of ensuring that the legal prescripts are followed, the publication of the norms and standards was delayed.

(3) No. The proposed date for the implementation of CAPS for Technical High schools is 2016 in Grade 10. 2015 will be utilised to prepare the sector for implementation of CAPS, for example. intensive teacher training will take place. textbooks will be developed etc.

(4) (a) The provinces will continue to collect audit data from schools.

(b) The audit data will be verified by the Department of Basic Education through a sample audit. This approach will require less funding than the original anticipated audit.

(c) The audit was not carried out due to funding constraints and provinces were required to collect data.

( 5 ) (a) Skills training centres around the country and Universities of Technology had been contacted to train teachers in September 2014 during the school recess.

Technical Mathematics and Technical Science training will be conducted by the Universities of Technologies. North West province, Eastern Cape and Free State started their training with the skills centres in July 2014 during the school recess.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 643
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)

Ms H S Boshoff (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) What amount was (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on the National School Nutritional Programme in each province in the 2013-14 financial year;

(2) how many learners, expressed as a (a) number and (b) percentage, benefited from the specified programme;

(3) how many high schools benefit from the specified programme since the restructuring took place to include high schools;
(4) what is the process in each province (a) to guide schools in relation to the specified programme and (b) if an allocation does not cover the entire school? NW727E

RESPONSE:

(1) What amount was (a) budgeted for and (b) spent on the National School Nutritional Programme in each province in the 2013-14 financial year;

Province	Budget	Expenditure
	R'000	R'000
EASTERN CAPE	949 162	952 456
FREE STATE	274 552	273 717
GAUTENG	585 157	616 164
KWAZULU-NATAL	1 206 190	1 283 933
LIMPOPO	932 050	872 786
MPUMALANGA	496 661	484 947
NORTHERN CAPE	119 859	119 859
NORTH WEST	348 912	354 160
WESTERN CAPE	260 538	258 328
TOTAL	5 173 081	5 207 350

(2) how many learners, expressed as a (a) number and (b) percentage, benefited from the specified programme;

Answer:

(a) 9 131 836 learners

(b) 76.3% of learners in public schools (11 975 844)

(3) how many high schools benefit from the specified programme since the restructuring took place to include high schools;

Answer:

4 812 secondary schools as at 31 March 2014

(4) what is the process in each province (a) to guide schools in relation to the specified programme and (b) if an allocation does not cover the entire school?
NW727E

Response:

a) The following measures are in place to guide schools on programme implementation:

(i) in provinces that are transferring funds directly to schools, provinces send allocation letters to schools, informing them of the allocated budget as well as how it should be used.

(ii) provinces provide schools with menus to ensure that learners are fed balanced meals.

(iii) training is provided on meal planning, food safety and hygiene, financial management as well as horticulture for schools in line with specific provincial needs for the specific financial year.

(iv) the national Department and provinces regularly provide guidelines to schools in the form of posters, booklets, files, etc. on identified key topics such as gas safety.

b) The budget is allocated according to the official number of learners per school as contained in the Education Management and Information Systems (EMIS). Funds should therefore be enough to cater for all learners. In the exceptional circumstance where the allocated budget is inadequate, schools are encouraged to report through the relevant departmental management structures (circuit, district, province, national). In considering such a case. the allocated school budget will be reviewed against official numbers as contained in EMIS. Where it is discovered that the EMIS numbers are higher than the allocated programme number of learners for the particular school, the budget of the affected school can only be increased in the subsequent financial year. This is because business plans and databases indicating number of learners to be fed, are approved during the planning phase prior to the commencement of each financial year. To manage extreme cases of budget inadequacy for schools, provinces cat] apply to the Accounting Officer for deviation from the approved business plan.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 642
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
{INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

1) Whether with reference to her department's Annual Performance Plan for 2013-2014, her department released the e-strategy; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

2) Whether her department has completed the audit of the e-Education intervention in the 2013-2014 period? NW726E

RESPONSE:

1 .(a) The Department of Basic Education has developed the e-strategy. Furthermore, the E-strategy has been tabled at HEDCOM for their inputs and comments.

1.( b) The e-strategy/sector Implementation Plan will be made available once Heads of Education Departments Committee (HEDCOM) and Council of Education Ministers (CEM) have approved the document.

2). The Education Sector (DBE and PDES) completed the e-Education audit of ICT interventions in provinces in 2013. The report is available.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 641
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(a) What are her department's (i) strategic goals, (ii) performance indicators and (iii) planned targets with regard to e-Education and (b) for each strategic goal what (i) are the time frames, (ii) are the amounts budgeted and (iii) infrastructure is needed to reach each of these goals? NW725E

RESPONSE:

(i) The strategic goals for e-Education as outlined in the White paper on e-Education are:
▪ ICT Professional development for management, teaching and learning
▪ Electronic content resource development and distribution
▪ Access to ICT infrastructure
▪ Connectivity
▪ Community engagement
▪ Research and development

With regards to the implementation of e-Education as referred to in question (a) (ii). (iii) and Question (b) the implementation of lCTs in schools is a Provincial Education Department's competency. The DEE is responsible for digital content development and distribution to all provinces. The national targets in all these objectives are informed by provincial targets. The DBE targets for 2014115 financial year are as follows:

1) ICT Professional development for management, teaching and learning
Provide teacher training on ICT skills to 1250 PoC schools and 25 teachers in ASIDl schools

2) Electronic content resource development and distribution
Development of 10 Interactive workbooks

3) Access to ICT infrastructure
Establishment of a national broadcasting education channel

4) Connectivity
▪ The National Broadband Policy, referred to as "SA connects" was approved last year (4 December 2013) by the Cabinet;
▪ An implementation plan of the National Broadband Policy is currently being devised by the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, in collaboration with the DBE;
▪ The first and short term implementation plan includes the connectivity of 698 National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot districts and about 5, 500 schools in the 10 and 20 Km radius of the NHI pilot districts;
▪ The business case of this first implementation plan was scheduled to be submitted to the National Treasury by 18 July 2014. The latest information from the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) indicates that the business case was not submitted to the National Treasury on 18 July 2014 (as scheduled) due to the fact that DTPS Minister is yet to approve the submission.

▪ In addition, about 3000 schools are scheduled to be connected through the Universal Service and Access Licence Obligations which was amended last year (Notice 11 73 of 201 3 by ICASA)

b) All issues pertaining to budgets, infrastructure rollout, time frames and targets set are determined by Provincial Education Departments in line with provincial priorities.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 640

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
[INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 0512014)

Ms D van der Walt (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

1). Whether her department is planning to implement the 2004 White Paper on e-Education; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW724E

RESPONSE:

a) The 2004 White Paper on e-Education has been implemented since 2004.
b) Provinces are at different levels in the implementation of the e-Education White Paper. Considerable progress has been made with ICT provincial implementation in the Western Cape, Gauteng and North West province. This resulted in schools in the Gauteng, Western Cape and North West provinces having access to better ICT infrastructure (computers and tablets) for teaching and learning. However, all provinces have now prioritised lCTs implementation in all their plans.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 638
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) Whether she plans to withdraw the administrative intervention in the Limpopo Department of Education in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996; if not, why not: if so, what are the relevant details, including possible (a) conditions and (b) time frames:

Response

The Minister of Finance announced the transition of the intervention from Section 100(1)(b) to Section 100(1)(a) on 28 July 2014.

(2) whether she plans to withdraw the administrative intervention in the Eastern Cape Department of Education, in terms of section 100(l)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996: if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details, including possible (a) conditions and (b) time frames? NW722E

Response

The Department of Basic Education is currently doing an assessment of how far it has progressed in addressing the issues that it had set out to address in the Eastern Cape. The decision to withdraw or continue with the administrative support will be taken by Cabinet on receipt of the said report.

Reply received: August 2014

QUESTION 637
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) With reference to the statement in her department's Annual Performance Plan for 2014-2015 that a more effective teacher development programme will be implemented to improve teacher competency, what are the full details of this development programme;

(2) whether any assessment has been carried out to determine whether newly qualified teachers, graduating with a (a) Bachelor of Education degree and (b) post-graduate Certificate in Education are competent to teach; if no, whether such an assessment is planned; if so, what are the (i) relevant details of the assessment and (ii) findings:

(3) what is she intend to do to ensure that the number of aspiring teachers enrolled for study at universities are adequate to meet the need for every (a) phase and (b) subject in public schools;

(4) how will she ensure that all teachers in the public schools are teaching the phase or subject that they are qualified to teach? NW721E

ATTACHED FIND HERE: REPLY

Reply received: September 2014

QUESTION 612
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18/07/2014
(lNTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 05/2014)
Ms N I Tarabella Marchesi (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:

(1) How many (a) international and (b) domestic hotel bookings were made by (i) her, (ii) her predecessors and (iii) departmental officials attending (aa) workshops, (bb) seminars. (cc) oversight visits or (dd) any other relevant meetings of the relevant portfolio committee from 1 April 2013 up to the latest specified date for which information is available;

(2) in respect of each specified booking, what was the (a) date, (b) name of the hotel, (c) number of delegates,
(d) cost of the hotel booking for each delegate and (e) the nature of the relevant portfolio business dealt with? NW695E


Find here: Response