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 committees 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 committees 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 Committees 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 SACEs 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
Committees 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 Departments 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 Peoples Assembly. Important reports adopted by the
Portfolio Committee during this term included the Committees 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 Childrens 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
Committees 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
·
Departments 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 childs
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 regions
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 Capes 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
Botswanas education system and to understand how they support schools to
contribute towards their countrys 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-Gs 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 committees 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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