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Policy and Budget Speech by Mec for Education, Siphosezwe Masango, Presented to the Mpumalanga Legislature
29th June 2004
Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier, TSP Makwetla
Esteemed Members of the Executive Council
Honourable Members of the Legislature
Our Dear Parents, Educators and Learners
Organised Teacher and Learner Formations
Members of the Business Community
Fellow Compatriots
We are on course, to educate the nation!
As all compatriots would be aware, our Department remains driven by the vision articulated in the Freedom Charter, 1955, that “the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”.
I now have the singular honour to inform this august House, that our Department will eloquently give expression to this injunction by making education accessible to all.
As we journey from the First Decade of Freedom into the Second Decade of Freedom, it is our considered imperative that our education must deliver a new learner cadre and a new intelligentsia, truly moulded and baptized in our revolutionary ideas.
This has to happen and must happen, because South Africa and Africa have to produce a truly patriotic intelligentsia which will be the unapologetic disciple, adherent and proponent of the African Renaissance and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Although we are now ten years in a democracy, and are a free people, it has been unfortunate to discover that some people in our communities, particularly the learners don’t know or understand what the national symbols represent.
The national anthem, for instance, must be sung properly with the dignity, solemnity and sobriety it so richly deserves.
Madam Speaker, I am happy to inform this House that, two weeks after our assumption of office, the Honourable MEC for Culture, Sport and Recreation, Mr Madala Masuku and myself conferred on this matter, and I then issued a directive to the schools that the learners must be taught to sing the National Anthem properly.
In the ANC 2004 Manifesto President Mbeki has reminded us and directed that “Democracy and equality before the law are entrenched in our constitution.
Women, workers, youth, professionals, people with disabilities, traditional leaders, religious communities, business people and rural communities, all have the right to utilize opportunities that have come with freedom”.
To ensure that the education enterprise is everybody’s business, we will convene, for the first time, before the end of July, 2004, a consultative meeting with the Traditional Leadership of the Province.
More often than not, traditional leaders interact with most issues affecting their communities, except education, because education is perceived to be a specialized domain, not worthy of their attention.
Three Regional Education Summits will be held in July / August, 2004, wherein a plethora of stakeholders will participate; such as the political, civic, church, youth, women, organized labour unions, traditional leaders and business, precisely because the education enterprise is too important to be left in the hands of the Department of Education only.
It must be driven as a collective national effort as part of ensuring that…”all have the right to utilize opportunities that have come with freedom”.
After these Regional Education Summits will culminate into a Provincial Education Summit to be held later in August, 2004.
To this end, we have already convened on the 11th May, 2004 a successful meeting with public sector unions, learner organizations including parents organizations.
We will further mount a sustained campaign to ensure that the parents reclaim their schools and therefore uncompromisingly support the learners and educators.
Madam Speaker, we are indeed hard at work to implement a people’s contract to educate the nation.
Improvement of Results in All Grades
Madam Speaker, as alluded to above, I have already met with the organized Learner and Teacher formations to discuss issues related to the improvement of education and the results in all the grades.
It is unfortunate to observe that the nation is struck by a sense of shock only when grade 12 results are bad.
It is important to monitor the system every step of the way to check whether we will produce quality products. It is our firm view that there must be quality teaching and learning in all the grades so that we can expect good results.
We wish to inform this House that we are spending R2 million on Winter Schools, which commenced yesterday, in all our regions targeting grade 12 learners.
Madam Speaker, I have already held three fruitful regional consultative meetings with school principals to exchange views with them on their role in the management of schools, and the improvement of results.
The Revised National Curriculum Statements [RNCS] have already been delivered to all our educators. Training workshops on the further implementation are taking place.
This House should also take note that during this winter school recess, educators will be in the various centres continuing with the preparations for the implementation of the RNCS in 2005.
Further Education and Training (FET) Institutions
This year the FET colleges will concentrate on reviewing their curricular so that they can provide our learners with courses that are responsive to needs of our various industries in the Province and the country.
These colleges are critical in the skills development of our youth and therefore play a vital role in ensuring that our youth have skills to create employment for themselves, by gaining access to programmes like Umsombovu, National Development Aid [NDA], Intsika and other institutions and enable them to start their own business.
Madam Speaker, an amount of R92 million has been allocated to this endeavour in the current financial year.
Human Resource Development
The Department undertakes to spend R34 million on Skills Development and Learnerships.
In the previous financial year an amount of R861 564,91 was spent for bursaries for full time College and University student teachers and departmental officials.
To this end, for this financial year, that amount has increased to R960 000.
Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET)
To push back the frontiers of illiteracy, and low skills level, Adult Basic Education and Training remains a top priority linked to the Expanded Public Works Programme. To that end we have set aside R51,29 million.
Independent Schools
During the current financial year, an amount of R9,493 million has been budgeted for the transfer payments to 85 independent schools.
The Department is ensuring that it gives grants or subsidies to these institutions as well as develop clear policies governing them and monitor compliance with the provision of quality education.
Early Childhood Development
Pre-school education is an important foundation phase and to carry out that responsibility, R25 million has been set aside to service the current 715 sites and to ensure that an additional 285 sites are instituted by March 2005.
Currently there are 330 ECD trainee practitioners, while a total of 670 ECD practitioners will have been trained by the end of this financial year.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Our endeavour to bridge the digital divide is on course.
Quite clearly, this House will agree with us, that it has become extremely important to produce a learner who is schooled in the technological advancement of the modern world.
An amount of R8,5 million has been set aside to provide computers for 708 needy schools in 2004/2005 financial year.
Madam Speaker, it is heartening to inform this august House that on the 29th July, 2004 the department will be launching the MTN Schools Connectivity: 10 Schools from rural areas would each benefit from this initiative.
These schools will each receive 10 Computers, a server, pre-loaded learner content on the server, a multi-functional copier, scanner, fax machine, science, maths and English and a GPRS modem which utilizes the MTN network to provide fast access to the internet.
The other priority area is “making the system work”. In realizing the above objective and ensuring that the poorest of the poor learner is not unduly excluded, we have set aside R66 million. This brings our spending level to R625 per learner on transfer payment to schools.
Learner Support Material
An amount of R300,560 million has been set aside for the purchase of learner support material and stationery in this financial year.
Scholar Transport
In an ongoing effort to improve access and ensure that the learners who live within deep rural communities benefit from the fruit of this freedom, the Department provided scholar transport to 24 444 learners in the previous financial year and has increased that number to 28 174 at a tune of R63 million in 2004/2005.
In this area the Department notes a shortfall of R11 million to address the remaining 251 routes with 7 852 learners. This is a serious challenge that the Department is facing to fulfill its mandate in this regard.
Infrastructure Development
In his State of the Nation Address, 2004, President Mbeki has enjoined all of us that, “by the end of this financial year, we shall ensure that there is no learner and student learning under a tree, mud-school or any dangerous conditions that expose learners and teachers to the elements.
By the end of the current financial year, we expect all schools to have access to clean water and sanitation”.
From its equitable share the Department will build 477 classrooms, 23 administration blocks, 21 special rooms, 483 toilets, fencing for 76 schools, water supply to 8 schools, 13 schools to be electrified and 16 schools to be renovated at an amount of R95,55 million.
To hearken to the President’s injunction, we shall spend an additional amount of R87,773 million to renovate 47 schools, build 387 toilets, electrify 37 schools, put 42 water connections and fence 125 schools.
Madam Speaker and Members of the House, I am glad to announce that in our recent Strategic Planning Workshop, held in Badplaas, we have decided to drastically reduce the toilet backlog in all the schools in our Province. To this end we are spending an additional R6 million to restore dignity to our compatriots who did not have these facilities.
Public Private Partnership
The business sector is committed to invest in the development of Education in the Province. In this financial year, the Mpumalanga Education Development Trust (MEDT), will spend R13 million in Tubatse Municipality to build a Technical High School which will further enhance our commitment to skills development in the Province.
The MEDT will provide 8 additional classrooms at Leonard Ntshuntshe School in KwaGuqa at a cost of R900 000.
BHP Billiton Company will build a school at a cost of about R4 million in the same area.
The Super Group Auto Parts Company and Eco-Link will join hands and build classrooms for Amanzi Primary School, which is in a terribly hazardous condition. The amount to be spent is R306 000.
Specialized Schools and Inclusive Education
The South African Teachers Development Project [SATDP], has played a vital role in the finalization of the introduction of inclusive education in various schools within the Province and to this effect the project was piloted through the Gert Sibande Region whereby 80 schools were trained on OBE and Inclusive Education.
Quality education to all learners in special schools is being phased in through the development of an adapted curriculum within the framework of the RNCS.
An amount of R20 million has been allocated for this programme in the current financial year.
During the past financial year, 201 learners were placed in special education, 39 learners were registered for home education and 37 Grade 12 learners were granted concessions for the final Grade 12 examinations.
National School Nutrition Programme
Honorable Speaker, the National School Nutrition Programme [NSNP] from the Department of Health has been successfully transferred to the Department of Education.
We have also managed to create a post-establishment for staff to serve on NSNP. During this current financial year we have increased the number of beneficiaries from 460 000 to 491 362 in all the schools in the Province.
Proper monitoring and evaluation programmes have been put in place to ascertain that the actual supplies and correct menus are offered. An amount of R64 029 million has been budgeted for that.
HIV and AIDS
In order to build a healthy nation, a comprehensive programme to defeat malnutrition, TB, malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases is being put in place.
The allocated conditional grant for the purpose above is R9,772 million.
School Governance
The Department will continue to ensure that there are elected and functioning School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs) to realize a participatory governance of our schools.
The Department offers training to the SGBs, RCLs and School Management Teams.
As indicated earlier on, I am intent on mounting a sustained campaign to ensure that parents reclaim their schools, support learners and educators, and that it will be compulsory for principals to convene parents meetings to give a State of the School Report. This must happen at least twice a year.
Conclusion
Madam Speaker, I humbly request this august House to favourably consider the allocated amount of R5 090 billion for the Department of Education to fulfill its mandate.
Madam Speaker, allow me to express my profound gratitude to the two outstanding cadres of our glorious Movement, who did a sterling contribution in building the foundation of education in Mpumalanga, during the First Decade of Freedom.
Cde. D. D. Mabuza, virtually assembled this Department from the fragmented and moribund structures of the apartheid departments in 1994. I salute you!
Cde. Craig Padayachee, moulded and further consolidated this Department into a functional entity from 1999. I salute you!
I want to thank the members of the Portfolio Committee on Education, Culture, Sport and Recreation for their insightful guidance and valuable contributions.
Most importantly, I also wish to thank my colleagues in the Department of Education for their unwavering commitment to educate the nation.
Finally, Madam Speaker, let us drink in the wisdom of our most famous statesman, Nelson Mandela, who uttered the following words on the occasion of his inauguration in 1994; “We shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world”
Maqabane, Mayihlome, Ifunde!