ATC140328: Legacy Report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on its activities undertaken during the 4th Parliament (May 2009 – March 2014), dated 11 March 2014.

Basic Education

Legacy Report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on its activities undertaken during the 4th Parliament (May 2009 – March 2014), dated 11 March 2014.

1. Introduction

1.1 Purpose of the report

The purpose of this report is to provide an account of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education work during the 4 th Parliament and to inform the members of the new Parliament of key outstanding issues pertaining to the oversight and legislative programme of the Department of Basic Education and its entities.

This report provides an overview of the activities the committee undertook during the 4 th Parliament, the outcome of key activities, as well as any challenges that emerged during the period under review and issues that should be considered for follow up during the 5 th Parliament. It summarises the key issues for follow-up and concludes with recommendations to strengthen operational and procedural processes to enhance the committee’s oversight and legislative roles in future.

1.2 Functions of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education

Committees derive their mandate from the Rules of Parliament, based on the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996. The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education fulfils its mandate by performing, amongst others, the following functions:

· Monitoring and overseeing the Department of Basic Education and its entities in their day-to-day and overall performance.

· Conferring with relevant governmental and civil society organs on basic educational matters in order to participate in the development of strategies and policies aimed at ensuring the quality and integrity of the basic education system.

· Processing and approving legislation and international protocols and conventions relating to basic education in accordance with the Rules of Parliament and the Constitution.

· Facilitating public participation during legislative and service-delivery related processes.

· Participating in National and International educational dialogues relating to basic education.

· Conferring with the National Council of Provinces on legislation pertaining to basic education which affects the Provinces.

· Engaging in various activities and programmes focussing on the development and delivery of quality public education to all South Africans.

· Dealing with any other matter referred to the Committee by the Speaker or the National Assembly.

1.3 Method of work of the Portfolio Committee

The Portfolio Committee employs the use of a Management Committee to deal with managerial matters – without having to specifically convene Portfolio Committee meetings (e.g. processing and completing Committee programmes, preparation for monitoring and oversight, drafting and giving input to draft reports etc).

The thrust of the work of the Portfolio Committee during the period under review was on oversight. In terms of its oversight approach, the Portfolio Committee calls statutory bodies to account to the Portfolio Committee and brief the Portfolio Committee on the implementation of priorities pertaining to Basic Education. For example, progress in the procurement and delivery of Learner Teacher Support Material (LTSM) i.e. textbooks, workbooks, stationery and the delivery of infrastructure to schools. The Committee also scrutinises Budget Votes, Annual Reports and Strategic and Annual Performance Plans of the Department and its entities as well as holds strategic sessions and workshops. In addition, the Portfolio Committee conducts study visits of Provinces, Districts and schools in respect of provincial state-of-school readiness, exam readiness and the basic functionality of schools. Recognising that the South African public education system is vast, with approximately 24 000 ordinary public schools, the Portfolio Committee resolved in its Five Year Strategic Plan to prioritise its focus on underperforming schools in order to make the greatest impact in the system. The Portfolio Committee further resolved to work closely with provincial legislative committees on education and the Select Committee on Education of the NCOP in assessing school performance and functioning, given that Basic Education is a concurrent function.

1.4 Department/s and Entities falling within the committee’s portfolio

(a) Department of Basic Education (DBE)

The Department of Basic Education upholds a vision of a South Africa in which all people have access to lifelong learning, education and training opportunities, which will, in turn, contribute towards improving the quality of life of South Africans and building a peaceful, prosperous and democratic South Africa – and provide leadership in the establishment of a South African education system for the 21 st century. The statutory role of the Department of Basic Education is to formulate policy, norms and standards; and monitor and evaluate policy implementation and impact. The Department of Basic Education adheres to the following values:

· Upholding the Constitution, being accountable to the Minister, the government and the people of South Africa.

· Maintaining high standards of performance and professionalism by aiming for excellence in everything they do, including being fair, ethical and trustworthy in all that they do.

· Cooperating with one another and with their partners in education in an open and supportive way to achieve shared goals.

· Creating a learning organisation in which staff members seek and share knowledge and information while committing them to personal growth.

· Striving to address the training needs for high-quality service and seeking ways to achieve their goals

(b) Entities

Name of Entity

Role of Entity

South African Council for Educators (SACE)

SACE is responsible for the regulation, oversight and promotion of the teaching profession.

(i) Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC)

The primary business of the Council is to promote the maintenance of labour peace in the public education sector through the provision of dispute resolution (and prevention) services

(ii) General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council (UMALUSI)

UMALUSI is tasked with the following:

- Qualifications : Monitor and report on the adequacy and sustainability of qualifications and standards in general and further education and training

- Quality Assurance : Accredit private providers of education and training and assessment and promote quality amongst providers and ensure that providers adopt quality management systems

2. Key highlights

2.1 Reflection on committee programme per year and on whether the objectives of such programmes were achieved

2.2.1 May - November 2009

At the end of May 2009, the Portfolio Committee elected its Chairperson. Since it was the beginning of the five year term, the Committee developed its Strategic Plan, outlining broad plans and priorities for a five-year period. Key focus areas identified for oversight in 2009 were learner outcomes, early childhood development, performance audits and teenage pregnancies. It is worth noting that certain key priorities such as learner outcomes and early childhood development carried through the entire term of the Committee, in keeping with government priorities over the five year period under review. During the 2009 period, the Portfolio Committee received briefings from the Department of Basic Education on the following:

· Numeracy and Literacy competence

· Performance Audits

· Findings of Investigation into Teenage Pregnancies

· Foundation for Learning Campaign.

The Portfolio Committee also considered the Budget Vote of the then Department of Education and its three statutory bodies during June 2009 – with the adoption of the Portfolio Committee Report on Budget Vote 13: Education at the end of June 2009.. During July 2009, the Committee undertook a joint oversight and monitoring visit with the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to investigate challenges in respect of loans, bursaries and financial aid to students. The Committee also had a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop with the Department at their offices in Pretoria from 11 – 12 August 2009.

The Committee concluded the year with the consideration of the Department of Education and statutory bodies’ Annual Report briefings which culminated in the adoption of the Portfolio Committee Report on Annual Report for 2009.

2.2.2 February – November 2010

The Committee’s key objectives for this period included conducting oversight over Special Needs Education (SNE), learner outcomes, early childhood development and exam readiness. An additional key objective was to facilitate public participation and involvement in committee processes, particularly with regard to the critical area of learner outcomes. The Portfolio Committee, at the start of the year, conducted oversight and monitoring in Mpumalanga from 23 to 24 February 2010 to assess the state of security systems for the printing, distribution and storage of examination question papers, following the leakage of question papers in the province during the 2009 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations. In respect of Special Needs Education, the Committee visited schools-of-skills in the Western Cape to conduct monitoring and oversight on 13 April 2010. In October 2010 the Committee visited the Western Cape Education Department to monitor the provincial moderation processes. During the period 28 – 29 October 2010 and 4 – 5 November 2010 the Committee undertook oversight and monitoring visits of provincial examination centres in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. As is the norm, the Committee also had its annual Strategic Planning Workshop with the Department of Basic Education in July 2010. In October 2010, the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill was referred to the Portfolio Committee for consideration and report.

The Portfolio Committee, during the course of the year, received the necessary briefings and processed the Department and statutory bodies’ Budget Votes culminating in the Portfolio Committee Report on the Budget Vote. With regard to the priority area of learner outcomes, the Committee held extensive oral hearings and considered submissions received on the “Delivery of Quality Education in South Africa and the Challenges pertaining thereto” and “Access to Education”. Key issues identified during the hearings formed part of focus areas of oversight during the remaining period of the five year term.

The Committee concluded the year with the consideration of the Department of Basic Education and statutory bodies’ Annual Report Briefings which culminated in the adoption of the Committee Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) 2010.

2.2.3 April 2011 – March 2012

During the period under review and subsequent periods, the Committee focussed its oversight on a range of key priorities including learner outcomes; early childhood development; Special Needs Education and inclusive education; exam readiness; teacher supply, utilisation and development; district support to schools; adult literacy; school sport and infrastructure. Another key objective was to monitor progress in provinces under administration in terms of Section 100. Further objectives included to assess progress in the implementation of the SACE’s CPTD System pilot and to interact with the ELRC on remuneration of teachers. A significant development during this period was the introduction of quarterly reports as an oversight tool. To date, quarterly reports form an integral part of the Committee’s oversight tools to track the performance of the executive, and to hold it accountable.

April – June 2011: The main focus during this term was the budget review of the Department of Basic Education which was undertaken on 29 – 30 March 2011. The budget review of the statutory bodies accountable to the Portfolio Committee was undertaken on 22 and 31 March 2011. The budget reviews focused mainly on the Department’s 2011 – 2014 Strategic Plan, the 2011 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) allocations and an overview of allocations per programme. The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education also accompanied the Presidential Delegation on a visit to Bisho from 6 – 7 June 2011. The Presidency visited Bisho and the Education Department in the Eastern Cape to monitor the education issues pertaining to this province. The Province had been placed under administration and forming part of this delegation afforded the Chairperson the opportunity to receive hands-on information and a clearer insight into the issues pertaining to the Provincial Education Department. During the last week of this term, time was allocated for Portfolio Committees to focus on their mandate and that of the Department and entities that the Committees oversee. In pursuit of this goal, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education conducted working sessions with the various units of the Department of Basic Education at the Head Office of the Department of Basic Education in Pretoria. During this term, the Portfolio Committee also called the Department of Basic Education to brief it on the following:

· Millennium Development Goals

· A Report on Inappropriate Structures

· The 4th Quarterly Report

· Expansion of Access to Quality Early Childhood Development, Inclusive Education and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement

· Progress in relation to School Sport.

July - September 2011: The main focus during this term was the processing and adoption of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill [B 36D – 2010] (Reprint). The Bill was returned to the Portfolio Committee from the Select Committee with further amendments. The Committee considered the Bill on 16 and 23 August 2011 and adopted the Bill on 23 August 2011. An important oversight conducted by the Portfolio Committee was to the North West and Mpumalanga to look at Special Schools, Full Service Schools and inclusive education. The Committee also used this time to visit schools in the Western Cape ( Hazeldene Primary and Rosendale High) and also conducting oversight at schools in the Free State during September 2011 in preparation for the People’s Assembly. Important reports adopted by the Portfolio Committee during this term included the Committee’s MDG Report, the Committee Strategic Plan, the Workshop Report and other oversight reports. During this term, the Portfolio Committee also called the Department of Basic Education to brief it on the following:

· Quarterly Reports (1 st Quarter 2011/12)

· Branch R (International Relations, Communication and Legal Services)

· Exam Readiness

· Outcomes of Annual National Assessment (ANA)

· Infrastructure Development

October – December 2011: The main focus during this term was the processing of the Reports on Annual Reports of the Department of Basic Education and its Statutory Bodies (Umalusi, ELRC and SACE). This process culminated in the Portfolio Committee finalising and adopting its Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) within the stipulated timeframes set out. A highlight of the Portfolio Committee work during this period was the informative briefing by the Office of the Auditor-General on the Financial Performance of the Provincial Education Departments. Apart from the adoption of all minutes of all meetings held to date, the Portfolio Committee also adopted their Report on Oversight to the North West and Mpumalanga. During this term, the Portfolio Committee also received briefings from the Department of Basic Education as follows:

· School Sports and the Integrated School Sport Plan (including the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministers of Basic Education and Sport and Recreation).

· The National Education Evaluation and Development Unit

· The 2 nd Quarterly Report

· The Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign.

January – March 2012: The main focus during this term, as is the norm, was to undertake Oversight Visits to schools in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. The purpose of the oversight was to assess the state of school readiness for 2012 in these districts and provinces. The Committee focused on crucial areas such as the state of the school environment; the supply and training of teachers; readiness to implement the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS); the state of registration of learners; the delivery of textbooks, workbooks and stationery; and, the availability of learner transport and school nutrition to qualifying learners.

A further highlight during this period was the start of the Budget Review process. The Portfolio Committee received the Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans of the Department of Basic Education as well as its Statutory Bodies [South African Council for Educators (SACE), the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and the Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi)] referred to it. The Portfolio Committee proceeded with the Budget Reviews as of 13 March 2012 and completed the process by 19 April 2012.

2.2.4 April 2012 – March 2013

The Committee continued to conduct oversight over key focus areas identified in the previous section, as follows :.

April – June 2012: T he main focus during this term was the review of Budget Vote 15: Basic Education. The Portfolio Committee received briefings on the Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans of the Department of Basic Education as well as its Statutory Bodies [South African Council or Educators (SACE), the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and the Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi)] referred to it. Other highlights in the term included engagements as follows:

· A briefing by the Departments of Basic Education and Higher Education and Training on the expectations from Higher Education and Training on the quality of learners produced by the schooling system.

· A briefing on the roles and responsibilities of the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) and the Planning and Delivery Oversight Unit (PDOU).

· A briefing on the 4 th Quarterly Report of the Department of Basic Education.

July - September 2012: The main focus during this term was the adoption of reports on oversight undertaken by the Portfolio Committee in the previous term. An important engagement with the Department of Basic Education was on the Quarterly Reports (4 th Quarter 2011/12 and 1 st Quarter 2012/13). The Portfolio Committee further arranged a successful 3-day workshop with the Department of Basic Education which also included the participation of all nine Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). The Chairperson also participated in a Consultative Workshop on the Charter on Basic Education hosted by the South African Human Rights Commission in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand . The Portfolio Committee also sent a multi-party delegation to the Limpopo Province in early July to monitor the Provincial Department in respect of the problems/challenges with the delivery of workbooks and textbooks to schools. Other highlights in the term included engagements with the Department on the following:

· Annual National Assessment (ANA) Readiness

· CAPS Regulations

· Limpopo Catch-Up Plan

· Teacher Supply and Demand

· National Senior Certificate (NSC) Exam Readiness

· Millennium Development Goals and Education for All Goals.

October – December 2012 : The main focus during this term was the consideration of the Annual Reports of the Department of Basic Education and the Statutory Bodies (The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi), the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and the South African Council for Educators (SACE). These briefings culminated in the drafting and adoption of the Portfolio Committee Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) within the stipulated timeframes set out. A highlight of these engagements was the informative briefing by the Office of the Auditor-General on the Financial Performance of the Provincial Education Departments. A delegation of the Portfolio Committee also attended the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) Standardisation meeting in Pretoria from 20 – 21 December 2012.

January – March 2013 : The Portfolio Committee started the New Year with a delegation attending the Official Release of the National Senior Certificate Examinations Results for 2012. The main focus during this term, as is the norm, was to undertake Oversight Visits to schools in Limpopo, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. The purpose of the oversight was to assess the state of school readiness for 2013 in the identified districts and provinces. The Committee focused on crucial areas such as the state of the school environment; the supply and training of teachers; readiness to implement the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS); the state of registration of learners; the delivery of textbooks, workbooks and stationery; and, the availability of learner transport and school nutrition to qualifying learners.

A further highlight during this period was the start of the Budget Review process. The Portfolio Committee received the Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans of the Department of Basic Education as well as its Statutory Bodies [South African Council for Educators (SACE), the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) and the Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi)] referred to it. The Committee also arranged a 2-day Workshop with the Department of Basic Education at their Head Office in Pretoria from 26 – 28 March 2013. The Workshop also incorporated the Budget Review of the Department of Basic Education and that of the South African Council for Educators (SACE). The Portfolio Committee continued with the Budget Review of the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training (Umalusi) and the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) in April 2013.

The Chairperson of the Committee was also invited to participate in a live studio broadcast panel discussion on Radio 786 on 6 March 2013 – the topics of discussion included school infrastructure, the increase in independent schools in South Africa and teacher absenteeism. The Whip of the Committee attended the National Teacher Awards at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from 7 – 8 March 2013.

2.2.5 April 2013 – March 2014:

The Committee’s objectives for the year under review were to continue to conduct oversight over key focus areas identified in the previous sections.

The Portfolio Committee held its Budget Reviews of the Department of Basic Education and SACE at their Head Offices respectively. A highlight for this period was the International Oversight Visit to Botswana in June 2013. During August 2013 the Committee undertook oversight and monitoring visits to farm schools in the Free State and Western Cape. Once again, the Committee held a 2-day Workshop with the Department on School Infrastructure Development Norms and Standards in Pretoria from 7 – 8 August 2013. At the end of 2013, the Committee visited the offices of the Western Cape Department of Education and did oversight and monitoring of the provincial state-of-readiness for the NSC Examinations for 2013.

The Portfolio Committee, during the course of the year, received the necessary briefings and processed the Department and statutory bodies’ Budget Votes culminating in the Portfolio Committee Report on the Budget Vote. Further, the Committee received briefings on the following:

· Quarterly Reports

· Policy on Roles and Functions of Districts and District Support

· Status of LTSM Delivery in the country

· Progress reports on educator vacancies

· Teacher development

· Early Childhood Development

· Access to Library Services and E-Education

· Department’s financial performance

The Committee concluded the year with the consideration of the Department of Basic Education and statutory bodies’ Annual Report briefings which culminated in the adoption of the Committee Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) 2013.

3 Key areas for future work

· Monitoring the implementation of the Norms and Standards for infrastructure.

· Assessing and monitoring the Implementation Plan on E-education.

· Continuing to monitor progress on teacher supply, utilisation and development, including the implementation of the Post Provisioning Plan in the Eastern Cape.

· Continuing to monitor the implementation of Inclusive Education.

· Continuing to monitor the implementation of measures for the improvement of learner outcome.

· Monitoring the alignment of the plans and targets of the Department and its entities with the National Development Plan.

· Assessing and monitoring the implementation of the ECD Action Plan, including measures to realise two years of compulsory preschool education as proposed in the National Development Plan.

· Monitoring the p hasing in of the introduction of compulsory African languages in schools.

· Interacting with the Presidential Remuneration Commission in respect of the remuneration and working conditions of teachers in rural areas.

4 Key statistics

The table below provides an overview of the number of meetings held, legislation and international agreements processed and the number of oversight trips and study tours undertaken by the committee, as well as any statutory appointments the committee made, during the 4 th Parliament:

Activity

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

2013/14

Total

Meetings held

18

34

26

29

19

126

Legislation processed

0

0

1

0

0

1

Oversight trips undertaken

5

11

10

10

7

43

Study tours undertaken

0

0

0

1

0

1

International agreements processed

0

0

0

0

0

0

Statutory appointments made

0

0

0

0

0

0

Interventions considered

0

0

0

0

0

0

Petitions considered

0

1

0

0

0

1

5 Stakeholders:

· Organised Labour :

o South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU)

o National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA)

o Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysunie (SAOU)

o Professional Educators Union (PEU)

o National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU)

o National Teachers Union (NATU)

· School Governing Bodies

· Learner formations:

o The Congress of South African Students (COSAS)

· Non-Governmental Organisations:

o The Right to Education for Children with Disabilities Campaign

o Equal Education

o Section 27.

6 Briefings and/or public hearings

6.1 Briefings:

The Portfolio Committee, on a weekly basis, received, and continues to receive briefings from all relevant stakeholders in the education sector on matters affecting the sector including amongst others:

· Quarterly reports from the Department;

· Budget Review and Recommendation Reports (Annual Report Briefings) of the Department and statutory bodies;

· Budget reviews of Department and statutory bodies;

· Annual National Assessments;

· National Senior Certificate results;

· Examination readiness;

· School readiness;

· Inclusive Education;

· Learner Teacher Support Material;

· School Infrastructure;

· Provincial roles, responsibilities and functions;

· Post Provisioning Norms; and

· Briefings by SACE, ELRC, Umalusi and AGSA on matters affecting the sector.

6.2 Public Hearings/participation:

· 2010 - Oral hearings on “Delivery of Quality Education in South Africa” and “Access to Education” - and the challenges pertaining thereto.

· 2011 - Oral Hearings on “Delivery of Quality Education in South Africa” and “Access to Education” - and the challenges pertaining thereto; and

- Oral Hearings on Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill [B 36 – 2010].

· 2012 - Submission by the Right to Education for Children with Disabilities Campaign on the Budget Review of the

Department of Basic Education;

- Submission by Equal Education on the performance of the Department for 2010/11 – 2011/12 (BRRR).

· Ongoing - Hearings from stakeholders such as school management teams, SGBs, and organised labour during oversight visits.

7 Legislation

The following pieces of legislation were referred to the committee and processed during the 4 th Parliament:

Year

Name of Legislation

Tagging

Objectives

Completed/Not Completed

2011/12

Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill [B 36D – 2010]

(National Assembly Section 76)

To amend:

- or delete certain definitions in the National Education Policy Act of 1996;

- the South African Schools Act, 1996, so as to amend certain definitions and to define ‘‘loan’’; to provide for consultation with the Minister of Finance before uniform minimum norms and standards are determined; to ensure that there is no unfair discrimination in respect of official languages; to provide for the imposition of a suitable sanction if an appeal by a learner who had been expelled from a public school has been upheld by the Member of the Executive Council; to provide for public schools that provide education with a specialised focus on talent; to provide for additional functions of a principal of a public school; to provide for the training of governing bodies by recognised governing body associations; to prohibit political activities during school time; to empower the Member of the Executive Council to identify additional schools that may not charge school fees; and to further regulate the liability of the State for certain damages;

- the Employment of Educators Act, 1998, so as to amend certain definitions; and to regulate afresh the application of the said Act;

- the South African Council for Educators Act, 2000, so as to amend certain definitions; and to empower the council to manage within its available resources the Continuing Professional Teacher Development System; and

- the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act, 2001, so as to amend certain definitions; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

Completed

8 Oversight visits undertaken

The following oversight trips were undertaken:

Date

Area Visited

Objective

Recommendations

Responses to Recommendations

Follow-up Issues

Status of Report

1 – 2 July 2009

Emperors Palace, Kempton Park

Teacher Development Summit

Oral Report

Oral Report

None

N/A

7 July 2009

NSFAS Offices, Wynberg , Cape Town

(With Higher Education and Training)

Challenges experienced by NSFAS i.r.o Loans bursaries and financial aid to student

See ATC No. 42 - 2009

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 42 – 2009

Adopted on 18 August 2009

7 August 2009

Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre, Durban

Presidential Mini- Imbizo – Teacher Development

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

6 – 7 August 2009

Swan Lake Lodge, Centurion

Workshop with Curriculum Advisors

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

11 – 12 August 2009

Head Office – Department of Education, Pretoria

Strategic Planning Workshop with Department

See ATC No. 57 - 2009

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 57 – 2009

Adopted on 8 September 2009

23 – 24 February 2010

Gert Sibanda , Bushbuckridge and Enhlanzeni Districts – Mpumalanga

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o interventions in Mpumalanga

See AC No. 151 - 2010

Adhered to and actioned

See AC No. 151 – 2010

Adopted on 16 November 2010

25 – 27 March 2010

Hotel Le Vendome, Cape Town

Committee Workshop with Grey Matters

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

22 – 23 April 2010

Cape Peninsula University of Technology Campus, Cape Town

Stakeholder Summit on Higher Education Transformation

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

13 April 2010

Mitchells Plain and Lansdowne Cape Town

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o Schools of Skills

N/A

N/A

None

Adopted on 16 November 2010

20 – 22 July 2010

Head Office, Department of Basic Education, Pretoria

Workshop with Department of Basic Education

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

22 October 2010

Metropole East Education District, Kuilsriver , Cape Town

Monitoring of Western Cape Education Department Provincial Moderation processes

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

28 – 29 October 2010

Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o . Provincial Examination Centres

See ATC No. 150 - 2010

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 150 - 2010

Adopted on 16 November 2010

4 – 5 November 2010

Umlazi Regional Office and Pinetown District Office, KwaZulu-Natal

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o . Provincial Examination Centres

See ATC No. 150 - 2010

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 150 - 2010

Adopted on 16 November 2010

5 – 6 January 2011

Union Buildings, Pretoria

Official Announcement of the 2010 NSC Examination Results

See ATC No. 13 - 2011

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 13 – 2011

Adopted on 8 February 2011

25 – 27 January 2011

Ntabankulu, Eastern Cape and Escourt , KwaZulu-Natal

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o state-of-school readiness

See ATC No. 26 – 2011

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 26 – 2011

Adopted on 22 February 2011

25 February 2011

Union Buildings, Pretoria

National Teaching Awards 2010 Ceremony

N/A

N/A

None

Adopted on 8 March 2011

2 – 3 March 2011

Woodstock, Cape Town

Impumelelo Skills Training Workshop

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

24 – 25 March 2011

Boksburg , Gauteng

ETDP SETA 4 th National Conference

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

6 – 7 June 2011

Bhisho , Eastern Cape

Presidential visit to Eastern Cape visiting schools

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

27 – 29 June 2011

Head Office, Department of Basic Education, Pretoria

Workshop with Department of Basic Education

See ATC No. 106 - 2011

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 106 - 2011

Adopted on 30 August 2011

25 – 29 July 2011

North West and Mpumalanga

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o Special Schools, Inclusive Schools and Full-service Schools

None

Adopted on 22 November 2011

4 August 2011

Hazeldene Primary School, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o coaching by Spanish volunteers

See ATC No. 109 - 2011

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 109 - 2011

Adopted on 30 August 2011

11 August 2011

Rosendale High School, Cape Town

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o teenage pregnancies and substance abuse amongst learners

See ATC No. 140 - 2011

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 140 - 2011

Adopted on 21 October 2011

15 – 16 September 2011

Mangaung Municipality, Free State

Visit informed by Peoples Assembly

Adopted on 23 September 2011

4 – 5 January 2012

Pretoria

Official Announcement of 2011 NSC Examinations Results

See ATC No. 22 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 22 – 2012

Adopted on 28 February 2012

10 – 12 January 2012

Libode District, Eastern Cape

Oversight and monitoring I.r.o provincial state-of-school readiness

See ATC No. 26 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 26 – 2012

Adopted on 6 March 2012

15 – 19 January 2012

Mopani and Greater Sekhukhune Districts, Limpopo AND Bohlabela District, Mpumalanga

Oversight and monitoring I.r.o provincial state-of-school readiness

See ATC No. 26 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 26 – 2012

Adopted on 6 March 2012

20 February 2012

Inanda , Durban

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o Ohlange Senior Secondary School

10 – 12 May 2012

Misty Hill, Johannesburg

Umalusi 2012 National Conference

See ATC No. 158 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 158 - 2012

Adopted on 20 November 2012

19 – 22 June 2012

Northern Areas, Port Elizabeth and Mthatha , Libode and Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o . ASIDI and School Infrastructure

See ATC No. 111 – 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 111 – 2012

Adopted on 28 August 2012

4 – 5 July 2012

Polokwane, Limpopo

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o Delivery of LTSM

See ATC No. 110 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 110 - 2012

Adopted on 28 August 2012

19 July 2012

Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand

Consultative Workshop on Charter on Basic Education Rights

N/A

N/A

None

Oral Report

25 – 27 July 2012

Monkey Valley Resort, Noordhoek , Cape Town

Strategic Planning Workshop with Department

See ATC No. 165 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 165 - 2012

Adopted on 20 November 2012

3 – 5 October 2012

Kuruman , Northern Cape

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o protest action, school closures and special study camps for learners

See ATC No. 159 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 159 - 2012

Adopted on 20 November 2012

28 – 31 October 2012

Port Shepstone and Pinetown Districts, Durban and Kimberley, Northern Cape

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o provincial state-of-readiness for NSC Examinations 2012

See ATC No. 159 - 2012

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 159 - 2012

Adopted on 20 November 2012

20 – 21 December 2012

Pretoria

Umalusi NSC Examinations Standardisation meeting

See ATC No. 32 - 2013

N/A

See ATC No. 32 – 2013

Adopted on 12 March 2013

2 – 3 January 2013

Johannesburg

Official Announcement of the NSC Examinations Results 2012

See ATC No. 32 - 2013

N/A

See ATC No. 32 – 2013

Adopted on 12 March 2013

14 – 17 January 2013

21 – 25 January 2013

Limpopo, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o provincial state-of-readiness for 2013schooling year

See ATC No. 32 - 2013

Adhered to and actioned

See ATC No. 32 – 2013

Adopted on 12 March 2013

6 March 2013

Radio 786, Athlone , Cape Town

Chairperson participated in live radio broadcast panel discussion

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

7 – 8 March 2013

Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand

Whip attended National Teacher Awards Ceremony

N/A

N/A

None

N/A

26 – 28 March 2013

Head Office, Department of Basic Education, Pretoria

Budget Review DBE and SACE

See ATC No. 50 - 2013

See ATC No. 50 – 2013

Adopted on 30 April 2013

23 – 28 June 2013

Gaborone, Botswana

International Study Tour of Botswana

See ATC No. 152 - 2013

See ATC No. 152 - 2013

Adopted on 5 November 2013

29 July – 2 August 2013

Free State and Western Cape

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o farm schools

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

To be adopted on 18 February 2014

7 – 8 August 2013

Head Office, Department of Basic Education, Pretoria

Workshop with Department of Basic Education on School Infrastructure Norms and Standards

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

To be adopted on 18 February 2014

20 September 2013

Western Cape Education Department, Cape Town

Oversight and monitoring i.r.o state-of-readiness for 2013 NSC Examinations

See ATC No. 147 - 2013

See ATC No. 147 - 2013

Adopted on 20 October 2013

23 – 24 December 2013

Innovation Hub, Pretoria

Umalusi NSC Examinations Standardisation meeting

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

6 – 7 January 2014

SABC Studios, Auckland Park, Johannesburg

Official Announcement of the 2013 National Senior Certificate Examination Results

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

27 – 31 January 2014

Qumbu and Sterkspruit Districts, Eastern Cape

Oversight and Monitoring visit on State-of-School-Readiness for 2014

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

Yet to be tabled

a) Key observations and recommendations made during oversight visits

(1) Strategic Planning Workshop (2009)

· Learner outcomes in Foundation and Intermediate phases were not of the desired standard. Hence the Committee welcomed initiatives by the Department to improve the quality of education at schools, including the Foundations for Learning Campaign which aimed to increase every child’s performance in literacy and numeracy in Grades R – 6 by at least 50% by 2011.

· The General Education and Training Branch needed to draw lessons from the successful Kha Ri Gude approach of teaching literacy and numeracy.

· The level of support provided to schools by district offices was a matter for concern

· The Committee resolved to call a meeting on the subject of literacy and numeracy competence of school-leavers and invite the Department and authors of the report showing low literacy and numeracy competence at first year university level, to engage in Parliament.

(2) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Interventions in Mpumalanga

· Senior management of the Mpumalanga Department of Education needed to pay urgent attention to resolving the management instability in the Bushbuckridge Region as this negatively impacted on the region’s ability to improve learner performance.

· The high vacancy rate of educators remained a matter of concern and needed to be attended to as a matter of urgency.

· There was a need for the Enhlanzeni Region to develop mechanisms to transport question papers to the examination centres on the day they were written in order to minimize security risks.

(3) Oversight and monitoring in repsect of Provincial Exam Readiness (Mpumalanga)

· Overall, the delegation noted that the security measures regarding the storage of question papers had been improved through the use of strong rooms, safes, burglar-gates, burglar alarms, and security guards in Mpumalanga.

· Members were not entirely happy with what they had observed at Umlazi , Ilembe and Pinetown in respect of storage facilities.

· The delegation was impressed that there had been no notable breaches or irregularities to date in all the examination centres, and commended the teams responsible.

· There were serious concerns around the accountability of left-over papers and how they were being handled.

(4) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Provincial State-of-School readiness (Eastern Cape + KwaZulu-Natal)

· There was a need to ensure that the review of the quintile system that was in process eliminates inconsistencies in the current classification of schools

· The Department of Basic Education needed to submit time frames to the Committee of its strategy to eradicate mud schools.

· There was a need to strengthen Inter-Governmental Relations in order to facilitate effective service delivery particularly in services that cut across jurisdictional boundaries - this included the need for schools to improve relations with municipalities and make inputs on their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) in order to ensure that municipal services were provided to schools.

· There was a need to ensure that outstanding Learner Support Material, including workbooks were delivered to schools as a matter of urgency in order to facilitate effective learning and teaching. In future the Department needed to ensure that all learner support material was delivered to school on the first day of schools’ reopening.

· The Department needed to monitor schools to ensure that they use allocated funds for intended purposes.

4.1 Eastern Cape

o There was a need for an urgent national intervention to address administrative and financial challenges facing the province which seriously undermined teaching and learning in the already struggling education system.

o The Eastern Cape Department of Education needed to lift the suspension of temporary teachers and re-instate them as a matter of urgency as their absence posed serious challenges to teaching and learning.

o The School Nutrition Programme and the Scholar Transport Programme needed to be re-introduced as a matter of urgency to all the learners who qualified.

o The Eastern Cape Department of Education needed to submit reports to the Committee on the findings of the investigations of the mismanagement of funds of the School Nutrition Programme and the Learner Transport Programme, including the manner in which the Department would address the recommendations made.

4.2 KwaZulu-Natal

o The National Department needed to monitor the implementation of access roads and bridges that would allow learners and teachers to reach schools timeously during the rainy period.

o Schools that were hit by flood damage to be renovated by the Province immediately.

o Learner and Teacher Support Material to be delivered.

o The National Department had developed a programme to eradicate mud schools.

(5) Strategic Planning Workshop (2011)

· There was concern over the possible duplication of duties by the various directorates. Members also raised questions around the inter-sectoral collaboration.

· It was important that the Chief Directorate on Care and Support produced an exact budget to fulfill its mandate.

· The Committee was of the view that this was an important chief directorate which needed to be allocated additional financial resources to fulfill its mandate.

(6) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Special Schools, Inclusive Schools and Full Service Schools

· The Department of Basic Education, together with the Provincial Education Departments, needed to intensify teacher training in specialised areas of special needs, taking into account the varying levels of training needs of different schools.

· The Department of Basic Education, together with Provincial Departments of Education, needed to expedite and scale up the implementation of the curriculum that responded to the skills subjects offered in special schools.

· Given that transport was one of the keys to access, it was critical that the Provincial Education Departments, together with the Department of Transport, made transport arrangements to ensure that learners with special needs were able to travel to and from school.

· The National Department, together with the Provincial Education Departments needed to deliver timeously to schools sufficient Learner and Teacher Support Material, including workbooks.

· The National Department needed to make representations to ensure that Sign Language became an official language in order to enhance quality learning and teaching.

(7) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Hazeldene Primary School, Mitchells Plain:

· There was a need to have a follow-up meeting with the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation – to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministers of Basic Education and Sport and Recreation.

· There was a need to have a special meeting with all relevant stakeholders and associated NGOs involved in sport.

(8) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Rosendale High School, Cape Town:

· The Departments of Basic Education, Health and Social Development needed to work together to address challenges faced by the schools and the community.

· The Department of Basic Education needed to ensure that Sexual Harassment and Teenage Pregnancy Policies were implemented.

· The Department of Basic Education needed to ensure that parents/communities were involved in the activities of the school.

· Awareness campaigns on teenage pregnancies and substance abuse needed to be regularly held by the Department of Basic Education.

(9) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Provincial State-of-School readiness 2012 (Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga):

· The Provincial Departments of Education (PEDs) needed to deal with the issue of vacancies in all critical areas as a matter of urgency. These included vacancies for subject advisors, circuit managers and teachers in critical subjects such as mathematics and physical science.

· The national Department of Basic Education, together with the Provincial Education Departments, needed to deliver timeously to schools sufficient Learner and Teacher Support Material, including textbooks and workbooks. There was a need to ensure that schools enforced the policy on textbook retrieval to ensure that the required textbooks were returned to school.

· The national Department of Basic Education, together with the Provincial Education Departments, needed to find a more amicable solution to the challenge posed by the termination of temporary teachers. There was also a need to fast track processes to deal with the absorption of teachers in order to facilitate the employment of new educators.

· The Provincial Education Departments, together with the Department of Transport, needed to make transport available to all qualifying learners to ensure that they were able to travel to and from school.

· There needed to be a speedy resolution to serious challenges of capacity that gave rise to the Section 100 1 (b) intervention in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.

· The Provincial Education Departments needed to intensify the CAPS training, taking into account the varying levels of training needs of different schools.

-

(10) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Ohlange Senior Secondary School (Durban)

Ohlange Senior Secondary needed to do an urgent audit of all that they require and was short of i.r.o Learner Teacher Support Material and Infrastructure. This needed to be communicated to the Provincial Office for processing. The Provincial Department needed to submit the reports on all investigations completed, unresolved and yet to be finalised (with timelines). It was important that the school received all the necessary support from the District as well as the Province. The Department needed to produce clear programmes of intervention in respect of infrastructure development – the school was special and needed to be prioritised.

(11) Oversight and monitoring in respect of the Delivery of LTSM (Limpopo)

· The Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education needed to ascertain that Grades 1, 2, 3 and 10 textbooks were delivered to schools when schools reopen after the July holiday. The Committee would require a comprehensive progress report on this matter.

· Adequate resources needed to be found to procure books for 2013 and that planning needed to be conducted for their timeous procurement and delivery. The Department of Basic Education in conjunction with the Limpopo Department of Education needed to submit a report on progress within a month of the adoption of this report by the National Assembly.

· The Department of Basic Education and the Limpopo Department of Education needed to take all the necessary steps to ensure that due processes were followed in respect of those responsible for the textbook problems in Limpopo, including the following:

o The shredding of textbooks;

o The authorisation for the shredding thereof;

o The unauthorised removal of textbooks from warehouses;

o The outcome following investigations into allegations of financial management misconduct, and

o Any other form of misconduct related to the non-delivery of textbooks.

· There was a need to develop legislation to regulate the implementation of Section 100(1 )( b) according to 100(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.

(12) Strategic Planning Workshop (2012)

The Department of Basic Education needed to ensure the following be actioned :

· To put policies and reporting mechanisms in place and implement them;

· To enforce compliance to the systems that are in place;

· To put proper mechanisms between the national department and provinces to ensure compliance to policies;

· To put effective and common instruments for the better assessment of the sector in order to monitor compliance to the programmes implementation and general issues in the system;

· To put a clear and simple checklist that is diagnostic in nature to identify and note early warning signs in the system;

· To strengthen the system for its common benefit in intensifying the level of concurrence;

· To further institutionalize monitoring and evaluation systems and put clear indicators that will assist to quickly ascertain how the system is running in finance, governance, etc in order to draw red flags and act in good time;

· To find ways to address the accruals and financial challenges faced by the Limpopo and Eastern Cape provinces.

(13) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Protest Action and School Closures ( Kuruman , Northern Cape)

· The Northern Cape Department of Education, in conjunction with the Department of Labour, investigates the trucking of learners to neighbouring areas to do seasonal work and submit a report on a way forward.

· Given that the service delivery protest action in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District was complex, Parliament needed to consider establishing an inter-faith, inter-disciplinary team to work with the communities and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) to find lasting solutions to the problems experienced.

(14) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Provincial State-of-Exam readiness 2012 ( KwaZulu-Natal and Northern Cape)

· Parliament is updated on plans to address the challenge of insufficient storage space for examination material in Port Shepstone ( Ugu District)

· The Northern Cape Department of Education needed to continue giving support into 2013 to learners who had very little or no schooling for the period of the protest action

· The issue of the competency tests for markers needed to be resolved as soon as possible through engagements with all unions. The dispute on the remuneration of markers needed to be resolved as a matter of urgency.

· The allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education of not receiving the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) allowances needed to be investigated and the necessary procedures be put in place to ensure that the Department receives its OSD allowances in accordance with the relevant regulations.

(15) Oversight and monitoring in respect of Provincial State-of-School readiness 2013 (Limpopo, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape)

· The Provincial Departments of Education (PEDs) needed to deal with the issue of vacancies as a matter of urgency.

· The Eastern Cape Department of Education needed to resolve disagreements with teacher unions on post provisioning expeditiously and fast-track the placement of qualified teachers to suitable positions.

· The PEDs deliver all outstanding textbooks and workbooks as a matter of urgency. Once again, as recommended in the 2012 Portfolio Committee school readiness report, all provinces and districts needed to ensure that schools enforced the policy on textbook retrieval to ensure that the required textbooks were returned to schools. Principals failing to implement this policy needed to be held accountable.

· The Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) needed to be revived at all levels across provinces to make education a societal issue.

· The PEDs needed to intensify support to schools in using ANA results for their intended purpose as a diagnostic tool to identify specific areas of learning weakness with the view to improve learner performance.

· Consideration needed to be given to support the Limpopo Department of Education in its bid for substantial funding to address its major infrastructure backlog.

b) Issues for follow-up emanating from recommendations during oversight visits

The 5 th Parliament should consider following up on the following concerns that arose during oversight visits:

(1) Learner outcomes : Although learner performance in the NSC and ANA, Foundation Phase, improved during the period under review, learner outcomes in Intermediate and Senior phases, particularly Grade 9 in Mathematics, remain of concern. The quality of passes in the NSC as indicated by the number of bachelor passes and the quality and number of Mathematics and Physical Sciences passes also requires oversight attention. It was further observed that South Africa continues to perform at low levels in Science and Mathematics compared to other countries.

(2) District support : The level of support provided to schools by District Offices remains a matter for concern. The 2014 oversight visit to the Eastern Cape highlighted that there was a need for more targeted support to underperforming schools in the two Districts visited. There is also a need to intensify support to schools in using ANA results for their intended purpose as a diagnostic tool to identify specific areas of learning weakness with the view to improve learner performance.

(3) Post provisioning : The high vacancy rate of educators remains a matter for concern, particularly in respect of the gateway subjects of Mathematics and Physical Science. The implementation of the Eastern Cape’s Management Plan regarding the redeployment of teachers additional to staff establishment and the absorption of temporary teachers should be monitored closely

(4) Quintile system : There is a need to ensure that the review of the quintile system currently in process eliminates inconsistencies in the current classification of schools, where some schools serving economically disadvantaged communities are classified in higher quintiles.

(5) Infrastructure : progress in the eradication of inappropriate structures was slower than intended during the period under review.

(6) Inter-Governmental Relations : There is a need to strengthen Inter-Governmental Relations in order to facilitate effective service delivery, particularly in services that cut across jurisdictional boundaries. This includes the need for schools to improve relations with municipalities and make inputs on their Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) in order to ensure that municipal services are provided to schools.

(7) LTSM : Although the delivery of Learner Teacher Support Material has improved, shortages, largely due to changes in learner enrolments, are still reported in schools. There is a need for swift action to ensure that all learners receive their LTSM timeously. There is also a need to ensure that all schools enforce the policy on textbook retrieval to ensure that the required textbooks are returned to school.

(8) Inter-sectoral collaboration : There is a need to strengthen the inter-sectoral collaboration, how this is coordinated and how it affects the work of the Department.

(9) Special schools and Inclusive education : The Department of Basic Education, together with the Provincial Education Departments, needs to intensify teacher training in specialised areas of special needs, taking into account the varying levels of training needs of different schools. Special Schools require more intensive, frequent and consultative support based on their expressed need. The Department of Basic Education, together with Provincial Departments of Education, needs to expedite and scale up the implementation of the curriculum that responds to the skills subjects offered in special schools.

(10) Learner transport : It is critical that the Provincial Education Departments, together with the Department of Transport, make transport available to all qualifying learners, including those with special needs.

(11) QLTC : The Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) should be strengthened at all levels across provinces to make education a societal issue

(12) Filling of vacancies : The Provincial Departments of Education (PEDs) should deal with the issue of vacancies in all critical areas as a matter of urgency. These include vacancies for subject advisors, circuit managers and teachers in critical subjects such as mathematics and physical science.

(13) Rural incentives : To attract and retain suitably qualified educators to deep rural areas, the PEDs need to prioritise and scale up the roll out of motivational incentives. The implementation of these incentives needed to be closely monitored to ensure that they had the desired effects.

(14) Provinces under administration : Ways should be found to address the accruals and financial challenges faced by the Limpopo and Eastern Cape provinces.

(15) Exam readiness : The issue of the competency tests for markers should be resolved as soon as possible through engagements with all unions. The PEDs needed to intensify support to schools in using ANA results for their intended purpose as a diagnostic tool to identify specific areas of learning weakness with the view to improve learner performance. Consideration needed to be given to support the Limpopo Department of Education in its bid for substantial funding to address its major infrastructure backlog.

9. Study tours undertaken

The following study tour was undertaken:

Date

Places Visited

Objective

Lessons Learned

Status of Report

23 – 28 June 2013

Gaborone, Botswana

The main purpose of the tour was to ascertain areas of best and replicable practices South Africa could learn from the Botswana education system in order to contribute to the improvement of the quality of basic education. Specific objectives of the study tour were the following:

· To establish how the Botswana education system is among the highest in Africa in Literacy and Numeracy.

· To investigate the alignment of education Acts and department policies with the successes of the Botswana education system. To establish what assists and what impedes in the aim to achieve quality.

· To explore the systems of Early Childhood Development (ECD), inclusive education and vocational education in upper secondary education.

· To gain insight as to how Botswana reduces the achievement gap amongst learners.

· To interact with various stakeholders in Botswana’s education system and to understand how they support schools to contribute towards their country’s academic achievements in terms of teacher performance; discipline; and, curriculum excellence.

See ATC No. 152 - 2013

Adopted on 5 November 2013

a) Issues for follow-up:

The 5 th Parliament should consider following up on the following concerns that arose:

The Minister of Basic Education needed to consider ensuring that:

· The Department of Basic Education, together with Provincial Education Departments, continued to invest, focus on and refine its key current priorities such as teacher development, inclusive education and Early Childhood Development, since they provided an opportunity to improve the quality of learning outcomes.

· Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) needed to investigate the feasibility of adapting positive aspects of proven programmes dedicated to improving language literacy, such as the Breakthrough to Setswana and the Reading Challenge Programme, with a view to implementing them in needy South African schools. This needed to be conducted in conjunction with the implementation of the valuable recommendations to improve language literacy as contained in the recently released National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) report.

· The Department of Basic Education, together with Provincial Education Departments, needed to intensify the forging of strong collaborations and partnerships with stakeholders to provide support in the provision of facilities to needy schools. The Botswana experience and recent experiences in South Africa demonstrated the vital role that stakeholders play in the improvement of basic education. To attract and retain suitably qualified educators to deep rural areas, all PEDs needed to roll out motivational incentives. The implementation of these incentives needed to be closely monitored to ensure that they had the desired effects. A report on plans to ensure that all provinces implemented existing incentives for all qualifying teachers in rural areas needed to be submitted to the Speaker of the National Assembly, within three months of the adoption of this report.

· The Department of Basic Education needed to also engage with the recently established Presidential Remuneration Commission to ensure that the remuneration and working conditions of teachers in rural areas were considered favourably .

10. International Agreements: None

11. Statutory appointments: None

12. Interventions: None

13. Petitions:

The following petition was referred to and considered by the Committee:

Title

Date referred

Current status

Petition on the Withdrawal of Subsidies to Six Eastern Cape Independent Schools, submitted in terms of Rule 312 (Dr Z Luyenge )

ATC No. 27 – 2010

Completed and Report adopted on 8 March 2011

Challenges emerging from Petition: No challenges were encountered. The Portfolio Committee dealt with and reported on the matter with the following conclusion:

- The information and documentation received by the Portfolio Committee, specifically the performance requirement in the legislative and regulatory provisions that guide the subsidisation of independent schools, confirmed that the action of the Eastern Cape Department of Education was in line with departmental policy. All six schools performed below the required provincial average Grade 12 pass rate for public schools in 2009. Umtata College of Maths and Science would be eligible for a subsidy in 2011 based on its improved performance in the 2010 matriculation results, provided it meets all the other criteria.

14. Obligations conferred on committee by legislation:

In terms of Section 5 of the Money Bills Amendment Procedures and Related Matters Act, No. 9 of 2009 the National Assembly, through its Committees, must annually compile Budgetary Review and Recommendation reports (BRRR) that assess service delivery and financial performance of departments and may make recommendations on forward use of resources. The BRRR is also a source document for the Committees on Appropriations when considering and making recommendations on the Medium Term.

The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, for the last three years, completed its Budget Review and Recommendation Reports (BRRRs) as prescribed. Key recommendations made in the 2013 BRRR which require attention are as follows:

Budget Review and Recommendation Report (BRRR) 2013:

a) Department of Basic Education

· Provide Parliament with a turnaround strategy, with action plans, to address the A-G’s audit findings. The Department was also requested to report quarterly on progress made. The action plans needed to include a focus on how the Department will address challenges around:

o Predetermined objectives;

o Supply Chain Management; and

o Compliance in respect of expenditure management, financial and performance management.

· Provide Parliament with a remedial programme to effect improvement on the gaps identified by the Management Performance Assessment Tool (MPAT) conducted by the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation. The Department was also requested to report quarterly on progress made.

· Find solutions to the disbursement of the Funza Lushaka bursaries on time to institutions and students.

· Report in future Annual Plans on important sectoral data relating to teacher supply, utilisation and demand that capture factors such as subjects they teach, school phases and geographical areas, to enable Parliament to monitor performance more effectively.

· Together with Provincial Education Departments, improve efficiency in conducting processes linked to the appointment of educators, including the redeployment of educators additional to the post establishments in schools, the conversion of temporary appointments and the placement of Funza Lushaka graduates.

· I mprove service delivery and spending in respect of ASIDI.

· Together with provincial education departments, continue to invest, focus on and refine programmes on Inclusive Education, to facilitate progress in this critical area that continues to pose a challenge.

· Together with the Department of Higher Education and Training ensure that there is an adequate supply of teachers.

· Ensured that needy learners have access to Special Schools and that teachers in these schools are adequately trained and developed.

· Accelerate the implementation of e-Education, including ICT Infrastructure at schools to improve learner success.

· Continue to strengthen the communication strategy of the Department in order to project a positive image of the Department.

· Prioritise allocating Umalusi additional funding over the medium term as requested, in order for the Council to effectively carry out its mandate.

b) ELRC

· Fill the critical vacancies at the ELRC.

· Resolve issues of irregular spending and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

c) SACE

· Ensure accuracy in respect of numbers and qualification of teachers on the entity database.

· Fast-track the full roll-out and implementation of Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD).

· Review targets set in the Annual Performance Plan to ensure that they are realistic.

d) Minister of Finance

· The Minister of Finance should consider allocating additional funding to the Department of Basic Education over the medium term in respect of the following priority projects:

o The incremental introduction of African Languages (IIAL);

o Increased access to libraries;

o Inclusive Education;

o ECD practitioner training and material development.

15. Summary of outstanding issues relating to the department/entities that the committee has been grappling with

The following key issues are outstanding from the committee’s activities during the 4 th Parliament:

Responsibility

Issue(s)

DBE

Responses to recommendations on the school-readiness oversight visit to the Eastern Cape

DBE, ELRC and SACE

Responses to recommendations on the BRRR

DBE

Finalising the Implementation Plan on E-education

DBE (together with other relevant departments )

Finalising the Implementation Plan on ECD

The Presidential Public Service Commission

Progress report on the review of salaries of educators.

16. Key challenge emerging

With reference to Point 8 (Oversight visits undertaken) in this report, it was noted that Members of the Portfolio Committee, having honoured invitations to certain workshops, conferences, summits and special invitations; did not submit any report-back to the Portfolio Committee (either written or oral).

17. Recommendation

For accountability purposes, it was agreed that Members of the Portfolio Committee should submit a written report to the Portfolio Committee on any workshops, conferences, summits or special invitations attended by the Member of the Portfolio Committee.

Documents

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