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Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Basic Education today received a presentation from the Department of Basic Education on its annual performance plan.

Committee Chairperson, Ms Nomalungelo Gina, said the discussions in the Committee was of a positive nature. “It gives us great hope that public education is being taken care of, that it is in good hands.”

The Committee heard that 50 new schools will be built in this financial year in the Eastern Cape, averaging on a school per week. The Committee also heard that the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape have thus far been the biggest beneficiaries of the Asidi programme, where new schools are built to replace inappropriate structures that were not fit for learning.

“Almost all Grade R practitioners now have a level 4 qualification, the benchmark, but that the aim of the department is to improve this to a level 6 qualification. This is important for laying a solid foundation for our learners,” said Ms Gina.

Regarding the mass literacy programme, Kha Ri Gude, the Committee was informed that the Department of Basic Education will meet with the Hawks in an attempt to pursue charges against anyone involved in criminal activities in the mass literacy programme, Kha Ri Gude.

Ms Gina commended the department for this commitment. “We will monitor the matter and request regular updates. This are funds that should have been going towards educating our people.”
Last month the Department of Basic Education indicated that it aims to recover more than R1.5m from volunteers who claimed payments of stipends illegally from the Kha Ri Gude mass literacy programme, which has now come to an end.

In the same meeting, the Deputy Minister of Basic Education – Mr Enver Surty, impressed upon the fact that the demarcation issue in Vuwani in Limpopo needed to be resolved speedily and assured the Committee that a task team continues to work on the matter. Ms Gina said: “We are hopeful that the matter will be solved quickly to the best advance of all learners.”

The issue of learner transport and the recent accident that led to the death of many learners were also discussed. MPs were concerned that learner transport vehicles provided by private companies or individuals were not up to scratch and that vehicles were being overloaded. The Committee indicated that this needs urgent attention as the country cannot afford to lose more learners in this manner.

Deputy Minister Surty said in response that the roadworthiness of taxis and the competencies of drivers are critical. He indicated that the Department of Basic Education has a policy document with the Department of Transport on this matter. The department indicated that the monitoring of the implementation is the key.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Nomalungelo Gina