2012/13 Budget and Policy Speech, Vote 6, Education Eastern Cape MEC for Education and Training, Honourable Mandla Makupula in the Provincial Legislature

Honourable Speaker
Honourable Premier
Distinguished colleagues in the Provincial Legislature
Leaders of the opposition parties
Organs of civil society
Our social partners present in this House
Leaders of the religious organisations and churches
Accounting Officer and dtaff
Leaders of Chapter nine and ten institutions
Youth, women, business and community leaders in our midst
Representatives of the media
Distinguished guests
The People of Eastern Cape
Comrades

Introduction

It is indeed for me a privilege to deliver the 2012 Education Budget and Policy Speech in this august forum. I am addressing this House against the backdrop that the 2011 academic year and 2011/12 financial year have been a tumultuous and trying period for me as MEC for Education and Training.  Last year in my first Budget and Policy Speech, I committed myself and the Department to honour and live up to Government and the Ruling Party's high expectations of the strategic importance of education in our developing society.

Honourable Speaker, education is first and foremost about our children and molding their minds in order to prepare them for the future and ensure that they have the abilities and skills to either become gainfully employed or become job creators and take over from us the baton of leading our beloved country to new heights. As uTata Madiba captured so beautifully:
“Education is the great engine of personal development:

• it is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor,
• that the son of a mineworker can become head of a mine, and
• that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

My first duty then is to account for what was said in this House last year. Briefly the main achievements against the 2011/12 Budget and Policy Speech and other key commitments, are as follows:

Honourable members, as you are aware the National Executive invoked Section 100 (1) (b) of the Constitution on the Department on 2 March 2011. The implementation of Section 100(1)(b) presented its own challenges and the initial implementation of it resulted in much confusion inside and outside of the Department about who is the accounting officer and caused significant delays in its implementation. Through the astute insights and leadership of His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma on 7 June 2011, a Presidential 5-a-side Task Team of Ministers and MECs were appointed to provide much needed national and provincial political management of the intervention. Its implementation was also revised on 13 September 2011, by giving the Eastern Cape Provincial Government, through the Provincial Department of Education, full responsibility for its implementation. Six focus areas or priorities were also agreed upon, namely:

Priority 1: Management of Human Resources capacity, as well as personnel & provisioning budget;

Priority 2: Effective management & implementation of the National School Nutrition Programme;

Priority 3: Procurement & delivery of Learning-Teaching Support Materials (LTSMs);

Priority 4: Effective management & provisioning of scholar transport [done in collaboration with the Department of Transport];

Priority 5: School infrastructure development programme – priority mud & unsafe schools [done in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education]; and

Priority 6: Education systems & operations – planning, accountability, supply chain management, financial management.

In addition to these priorities, the following twenty two delivery areas requiring urgent attention is being reported on regularly: 1) 2011 Grade 12 Learners‟ support programme; 2) National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP); 3) Supply of stationery and textbooks; 4) finalisation of the 2012 schools post establishment; 5) provisioning of school furniture; 6) transfer payment of funds to section 21 school in terms of the National Norms and School Funding; 7) Learner Transport; 8) filling of all substantive vacant posts in schools; 9) filling of all substantive posts for schools; 10) provision of mobile classrooms; 11) procurement and payment of services for all non-section 21 schools; 12) filling of all critical vacant posts for schools of learners with special education needs; 13) implementing reversal of irregular salary increases; 14) merger and closure of schools that are not educationally viable; 15) redeployment of teachers in addition; 16) implementing the Audit Rectification Plan; 17) clearing backlogs of appeal cases; 18) finalising of all outstanding disciplinary cases; 19) conducting head count of learners and employees; 20) strengthening the Internal Audit and Risk Management Unit; 21) improve expenditure on the Conditional Grants; and 22) compliance with legal prescripts pertaining to Human Resources (HR), finance and others.

Honourable Speaker, so far, good progress has been made in the short-term in dealing with a number of historical challenges linked to:

1) the timeous declaration of the 2012 post provisioning basket of 64, 752 teaching posts and the finalisation of post establishments of schools so that the province achieved an overall average educator-learner ratio of 1:28, which is less than the average national ratio of 1:35;

2) the delivery of stationery and CAPs textbooks for Grades 1 to 3 and 10 by the Department and the delivery of workbooks by the Department of Basic Education (DBE);

3) the full restoration and continued provisioning of nutrition to 1 692 643 learners in 5 132 schools in all Quintiles 1, 2 and 3 schools;

4) the full restoration and continuation of the scholar transport service according to the existing budget covering 614 schools and 56 461 learners in the 2011 academic year and in the first quarter of 2012;

5) a data clean-up within the system resulting in the removal of 101 760 learners, and an associated saving of R20 million in the school nutrition programme and which was used to procure utensils and equipment for feeding after consultation with the DBE. It is expected that a further projected R90 million savings on norms and standards funding will be realised through removing these ghost learners from the system. In addition thereto and in the long-term, there will also be related savings realised on infrastructure, post provisioning, LTSM and Scholar Transport;

6) an increased and extensive support provided to Grade 12 learners in the 2011 academic year; and

7) an improvement in the control environment, including the full roll-out of the procurement module of LOGIS in all 23 Districts ensuring a drastic decrease in historical high levels of fraud and corruption.

A number of key medium to long-term challenges remain which are being resolved through increased and focused effort and support from the Office of the Premier, Provincial Treasury, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), National Treasury, Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), and Department of Roads and Public Works. The challenges include:

• the delays in the full implementation of post provisioning for the 2012 school year (including the identification and placement of about 6, 715 additional educators and filling of 8, 269 vacancies). 1 836 temporary educators were appointed against 2 013 net vacancies. All the 1836 temporary educators are properly and professionally qualified and include Funza Lushaka graduates and bursary graduates. 5 244 additional educators have so far been identified. A total of 932 of the identified educators have since been issued with letters. A total of 1 193 educators have been placed so far;
• lack of sufficient progress in timeously resolving all outstanding labour related disputes, appeals, grievances and suspensions;
• less than ideal learner performance, particularly in Grade 12 where the province recorded a slight 0,2% decrease compared to the 2010 results, and where some qualitative improvements were also recorded;
• slower than expected implementation of the audit rectification plan to improve audit outcomes;
• lack of adequate funding to completely settle various departmental debts/ liabilities related to scholar transport and other key service providers;
• slow resolution of various factors leading to the continual over-expenditure on personnel/ compensation of employees and continued under-funding on core curriculum issues;
• poor levels of planning and implementation capacity and systems at head office and in the 23 education districts;
• slow finalisation of the organogram and re-alignment of education districts to the municipal boundaries of the province's six districts and two metropolitan municipalities;
• slow rate of spending on conditional grants;
• lack of adequate levels of funding for procuring furniture for needy schools; and
• delays experienced by the DBE in replacing mud schools and other unsafe structures.
  

It is expected that key delays in post provisioning, labour relations and over-expenditure on personnel/compensation of employees, will be increasingly resolved in view of the recent agreement between the provincial government, SADTU and NEHAWU on various related key issues.

The Department projected to overspend its allocated 2011/12 budget as a result of a court ruling in terms of which the reinstatement of 4 200 temporary teachers had to be effected in March 2011. This led to budget cuts, which affected, amongst others, the payment of liabilities/ debts. Out of the amount of R522 million disclosed in the last financial year, the bulk of payments of R362 million was made and any outstanding amounts will be paid in two tranches in the first six months of the new financial year.

The Department started implementing an Organisational Development (OD) intervention to 10 prioritised districts (Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Cofimvaba, Queenstown, Fort Beaufort, Libode, Mbizana, Lusikisiki, Port Elizabeth, and East London), on the implementation of the Section 100(1)(b) intervention. All 10 Districts were visited by a team of financial and Human Resource specialists and key areas where assistance is needed, have been identified and a plan for assisting them was developed.

Intensive support was given to School Management Teams (SMTs) of under-performing schools and all newly appointed principals were inducted. Besides training of SMTs on key performance areas, there was also a dedicated programme for women empowerment and this was launched provincially and in 18 of the 23 Districts.

Honourable Speaker, with regard to Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC), I am happy to announce that all structures at district level have been launched and currently launches are taking place in schools which is the ultimate purpose of the Campaign.  To strengthen the QLTC campaign, the Department is successfully partnered with the House of Traditional Leaders, municipalities, universities, faith-based organisations, business, organised labour, the NGO Coalition and various community constituencies. On 3 October 2011, the NEDLAC Accord on Basic Education was launched nationally in Butterworth with all stakeholders actively participating as signatories of the accord. They committed themselves to the “ADOPT A SCHOOL CAMPAING” with more focus on underperforming schools in particular in the Province. The implementation thereof will be accelerated in the 2012 academic year.

The Department has therefore worked with all the various stakeholders and has successfully engaged with communities in our endeavours to ensure that the programme of government with regard “Education as a societal matter” is properly communicated. There is now a much improved environment in this regard. Subsequent to the provincial launch of the QLTC campaign at Mpekweni in October 2011, a resolution was taken that the process of rationalisation and re-alignment of the schooling sector be placed on the agenda once more. Thus far public hearings have been conducted in six of the 23 targeted districts.

After initial problems, the Department ensured that all the Section 21 schools received their transfer payments timeously.

The Department has exceeded the 60% target for the No-Fee policy as 1 600  751 learners benefit from this policy, which is 91.2% of learners in the Department.  The compensation for „No Fee‟ learners in the fee charging schools was also paid to 3 544 learners from the deserving schools.

Due to budget constraints, the Department was again not able to fund schools at the national target and thus funding levels for 2010/11 financial year were used in 2011/ 12 and were distributed to schools.

Although funds were set aside for the implementation of the Teacher Laptop Initiative (TLI), there was a delay on the part of the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) to appoint a service provider for the management of this process. Arrangements for the implementation of this initiative in the new financial year are however at an advanced stage.

In 2011, the Department embarked on a week-long training programme (40 hours) targeting General Education and Training (Intermediate and Senior Phase) teachers equipping them in Mathematics and Science, including Life Skills. In addition, the Foundation teachers in 20 Districts have been trained in Languages, Mathematics and Life Skills by Subject Advisors with the assistance of identified lead/key teachers. The Language issue arising from the introduction of First Additional Language in the Foundation Phase, as per the CAPS policy was also covered here. Continuous support is provided to small rural primary schools, enabling them to handle multi-grade classes.

Through the Unit for Rural Education at national level, some interventions were made to target the poorest rural and farm schools in the province. This is over and above the pro-poor funding strategy in the allocation of financial, material and physical resources. The programmes that supported rural and farm primary schools include QIDS-UP and support to educators in the multi-grade setting.

A decision that was taken to expand the provision of the agricultural curriculum beyond the three schools in Fort Beaufort led to the extension of curriculum to include agricultural streams in Moshesh (Maluti) and Palmerton (Lusikisiki). There are temporary educators teaching in the newly established schools. At Lusikisiki (Palmerton), a new structure for piggery has been built and is ready for use. Agricultural Management practice has been introduced in both schools and a greenhouse tunnel has been procured for crop production at the Moshesh High School.

In the 2011 academic year, the Department successfully conducted a number of credible examinations, some of which were provincial initiatives and others national mandates. The Province conducted and administered Provincial standardised tests for Grades 3, 6 and 9 in June and November in 2011 for a combined total number of 465 201 candidates.  The focus was on Literacy and Numeracy for Grades 3 and Languages and Mathematics for Grades 6 and all Learning Areas for Grade 9.

The Department also successfully administered the nationally mandated examination for Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 4 in both June and November 2011, National Education (NATED) 550 in May/June 2011 and the National Senior Certificate examination for October/ November 2011. The Department administered examinations for 14 832 ABET Level 4 candidates writing in 405 centres and 84 427 Grade 12 candidates in 1, 013 centres (full time and part time combined). Honourable members, I am pleased to report that there were 38 irregularities reported in the 2011 Grade 12 examinations which was a significant reduction from 2010, where 305 cases were reported.

The Department has made commendable progress in quality assuring the promotion schedules from Grade 11 to 12 in all schools. There was significant reduction in the number of promotion schedules with errors from 336 in 2010 to 213 in 2011. This suggests the positive impact of the quality assurances processes and ensures that learners‟ rights are not compromised.

Despite the implementation of both Performance Management and Development Systems (PMDS) and Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS), the Province continues being confronted by unacceptable performance levels, including insufficient emphasis on teacher knowledge and content.  Development in these areas as contained in the annual Workplace Skills Plan (WSP), is funded through the skills levy. This requires rigorous review pertaining to the recruitment; preparation; provisioning and placement of teachers for scarce skills subjects, including productive and effective utilisation thereof, both from within and outside the organisation. Worth noting is that the allocation from the equitable share does not adequately support the core business which is teaching and learning in the schools.

The Department has decided to refurbish the Jongelizwe Senior Secondary School at Tsolo in the Qumbu District as the School for Traditional Leaders over the MTEF. An amount of R1.7 million will be available in the new financial year to commence this work.

The Department put in place a rapid infrastructure plan to provide 447 temporary classrooms at 98 schools. The 400 temporary classrooms have been completed and occupied at 90 schools and the remaining 47 temporary classrooms at 8 schools will be completed in the 2012/2013 financial year. The Department of Roads and Public Works (DRPW) has concluded the two year term tender and three service providers have now been instructed to provide 984 temporary classrooms to address overcrowding across the province. In addition, 48 laboratories are also being provided. The schools are in various stages of construction and manufacturing of all units are completed, and installations at schools are currently taking place with final completion in the financial year concerned.

During the 2011/12 financial year, the following facilities were completed and occupied:

• 97 ordinary classrooms,
• 11 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres,
• one resource centre, five administration blocks, two computer rooms and 185 toilets.

In addition 34 schools were provided with security measures as standalone projects as follows; 14 km of stock fencing and 9km of security fencing.

The overall infrastructure budget for 2011/12 (after adjustments) amounts to R1.456 billion. After a repeat of the yearly slow expenditure on the Infrastructure budget, various key measures were put in place to accelerate expenditure. So far the results are encouraging, but not yet ideal. The infrastructure budget for 2011/12 is fully committed with most projects currently under construction. Expenditure up until 16 March 2012 was R700 million (48%). The projected expenditure for 2011/12 is currently estimated at R900 million (64.3%).

As regards the Accelerated Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI), it is aimed at eradicating mud-structure schools in the province and funded and managed by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). The DBE established that site handovers to contractors on all 49 mud structure schools took place on 12 and 13 January 2012. The completion date for these schools has been delayed from end March 2012 to end August 2012.  Furthermore for the provision of basic services, 82 water and sanitation projects have been completed during the 2011/2012 financial year.

For the 2011/12 financial year, the Department of Education achieved the following in

Inclusive and Special Education:

• Special schools namely, Vukuhambe and Sigcau Special Schools in East London and Lusikisiki Districts respectively have been refurbished;
• 16 special schools have received assistive devices in the form of adjusted wheelchairs, adapted computers, Braille Equipment etc;
•  14 school buses namely, 2 adapted 65 seaters, 4 x 16 seaters and 8 x 23 seaters have been purchased. Out of this number, three buses have been handed over to identified special schools and the remaining 11 have already been delivered and are awaiting handover to respective special schools.

The Department has gone a long way in the realisation of the target for universalising Grade R in 2014. As per the 2010/11 Annual Report, the number of learners enrolled in schools was 174 961 which exceeded the expected enrolment in terms of the Census data.  This is due to the admission of underage learners in Grade R, which the Department has not been able to adequately control. There are 4 625 primary schools and 4 488 of these have attached Grade R, which leaves the Department with 137 schools that must still attach Grade R by 2014. Another achievement worth mentioning is the implementation for the first time of the Norms and Standards for the funding of Grade R in the province which is enabling the schools to purchases suitable resources to adequately stimulate these learners and enhance their cognitive development.

The new Further Education and Training (FET) Bill has been approved by the National Parliament and is now awaiting the President's signature. Once signed, these colleges will be transferred to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET competency. As Colleges do not have access to Persal, certain functions (HR and Finance) will be performed by the Department on an agency basis until Provincial DHET offices have been fully established in the Province.

Honourable Speaker, Buffalo City FET College which was identified to pilot the project has been able to construct the workshop to completion and currently, educators are undergoing intensive training on various mechanics and automotive fields.  The challenge is now with the acquisition of the related equipment as Germany through Mercedes Benz South Africa (MBSA) has not yet delivered on her original commitment in this regard.  The Memorandum of Understanding, that was signed between the parties (viz., the Department, MBSA, Manufacturing Engineering and Retail Education Sector Authority (MERSETA) etc.), need to be renewed so that the Level 4 National Certificate (Vocational) learners made ready for trade test and Work-Based Education.

Teko, a Campus of the King Hintsa FET College, which was dedicated as an Agricultural Campus, has been completed, fully equipped and the hand-over of the physical structure with construction work and related equipment was done on 21 February 2012. Open land for ploughing has been secured and handed over to the College management and Governing Council. Unfortunately the momentum has been slowed down by the death of the Project Manager of King Hintsa MSC project (Multi-skill Centre) who was involved in a fatal accident on his way to an ESKOM meeting in Johannesburg to take the process forward.

In the light of all Colleges showing serious weaknesses with regard to capacity to deliver on various legislative and policy obligations, the DHET has, in consultation with this Department, introduced a Turnaround Strategy with a view to restore the Governance and management systems. The Memorandum of Agreement formalising the establishment of the FET Colleges Improvement Project was entered into and signed off on 23 September 2011 between the DHET and JET Education Services. In addition to the general capacity building work undertaken during visits to the colleges and during workshops, the Project Team is reportedly undertaking some specific capacity building work at Ikhala and King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) FET Colleges.

Early in December 2011, the Minister of Higher Education and Training and I decided to invoke section 46(4) of the FET Act of 2006 by placing Ikhala and KSD FET Colleges under administration. The decision was prompted by a collapse of internal management and governance at both institutions and the debilitating effects of internal conflict and strife. Two administrators were subsequently appointed through Government Gazette number 2476 and assumed office on 15 December 2011.

The Department has with regard to preparing itself for the implementation of the Norms and Standards for funding for Adult Learning Centres (NSF/ALC), finished training all its CBGs of the twenty three (23) identified centres to pilot the NSF/ALC. The Department has formally included Adult Education and Training (AET) Centres in the GET/FET Band LTSM delivery rolling program. This shall a great deal bring about even more improvement in next year-end examination results.

The Department is in process of ensuring that AET centres are indeed feeder centres to FET Colleges. The niche found in the post-school environment in this regard has been as a result of the realisation that there are many young adults who are too old to join the formal schooling but yet too young to abandon education as a means of increase life chances.

On 13 March 2012, at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the Senior Management of the Department, through a signed pledge, committed themselves to improve the successive negative findings of the Auditor-General. Honourable Members, despite the challenges in fully implementing the Audit Intervention Plan in 2011/12, some great strides have been made to date, relating to human resources and document management in the Department. For instance, 18 448 uncaptured leave forms were identified and 8 547 have been captured so far. This process has been completed in 13 istricts and this will have a positive impact in our annual financial statement disclosures. Audit teams have been formed to ensure timeous supply of all information requested by the office of the Auditor-General. This is an initiative introduced by the Department's Executive Management to improve our audited processes. The Department has prioritised an investigation of negative capped leave and recovery of debt in this respect to ensure quality of financial information. A new, expanded Audit Committee with expertise in various critical areas, was also appointed in 2011. The Department also recently appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers to focus on internal audit, Risk Management and forensic investigations.

Honourable Speaker, the most daunting challenge confronting the Department continues to be related to improving the quality of teaching and learning in our schools.

Another major challenge is that, as a labour-intensive organisation, the Department is facing over-expenditure in compensation of employees (CoE) at this juncture, which led to the Section 100(1)(b) intervention last year. Furthermore, the Department received another negative audit finding for 2010/11. The national norm that each provincial department has to comply with is a eighty-twenty (80:20) split in respect of personnel versus non-personnel costs. The personnel expenditure for 2011/12 is presently at 87.7% of the budget, and this increases to 91.2% in 2012/13.

This historical over-expenditure in personnel costs has effectively begun to crowd out what money is available for the resourcing of school infrastructure, learning-teaching support material (LTSM), furniture and equipment as well as on-site support to schools. In a broader context, the MEC for Finance and Provincial Planning has pointed out during the EXCO Lekgotla on 31 January 2012 that the escalation of compensation of public servants, whilst government revenue is declining because of the global economic meltdown and accompanying unemployment, as the most serious challenge facing Government. Therefore, service delivery, not only in the Department of Education but also in the rest of government, will be adversely affected if this challenge is not meaningfully addressed within the foreseeable future.

The Department has therefore adopted a very focused orientation for 2012/13 and accordingly defined from the seven (7) Turnaround Plan priorities, four (4) priority areas that will guide its main attention. These are:

• Improvement of the quality of basic education
• Resourcing of Education and School Functionality
• Management systems
• Organisational Culture Change

These four (4) priorities for 2012/13 also reinforce the education sector's Schooling 2025/ Action Plan to 2014 and the Ministerial Delivery Agreement.

The four focus areas/ priorities mentioned above will drive our efforts, which are indicated below, to continue turning around the Department to deliver on quality teaching and learning.

In the first priority area: IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF BASIC EDUCATION, the Department is accelerating the implementation of the Learner Attainment Improvement Strategy Support (LAIS), School and District Support, an increased focus on Under-Performing Schools and Districts, and Teacher Development.

Learner Attainment Improvement Strategy Support (LAIS)

In her State of the Province Address on 17 February 2012, the Premier stated: “On the implementation of the Learner Attainment Improvement Strategy, we will be paying particular attention to poor performing schools and districts from the 2012 school year onwards. To this end we will focus on strengthening the management and administrative capacity and systems at schools and in the Districts, as well as building adequate levels of monitoring and support.”

Honourable Speaker, the Department suffers from a poor public image that we do not seem to do anything right or that we have a track record of failure. But, let me tell you that it not really the case. We have come up with excellent ideas such as the LAIS, which has been adopted at a national level and demonstrated that we have a holistic understanding of the basic education system. The eleven pillars are:

• Organise schools for optimal enrolment and size to ensure viable operation;
• Provide adequate physical infrastructure for optimal learning and teaching;
• Provide, maintain and develop adequate human resources to ensure optimal performance of schools;
• Provide essential resources and materials for effective teaching and learning;
• Administer and manage teaching, learning and assessment to effectively support learner attainment;
• Ensure that all teaching accurately addresses curriculum requirements; Use prescribed instructional time to the maximum advantage of learners;
• Ensure that learners‟ attendance in class is at optimal levels;
• Provide optimal motivation and support for learners to learn and achieve at school; Mobilise local and school communities to support the management and governance of schools for optimal performance; and
• Put in place structures and processes to coordinate and implement intervention efforts at the schools that need them most.
  

School and District Support

Whilst the focus will be on improving learner performance from Grades R to 12, the following key Curriculum deliverables for 2012 will be pursued, mindful of envisaged budget constraints.

In order to deliver on Languages (Literacy) and Mathematics (Numeracy) Improvement Plans, linked to Annual National Assessments (ANA), National strategies and provincial ANA Improvement Plan will inform the development of District/School/Grade/Class customised improvement plans for 2012. An amount of R1 507 650 has been budgeted.

Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) training for Grades R to 9 will be conducted at national/provincial/district/cluster levels in 2012 for all officials and teachers involved in the Intermediate Phase (Grades 4, 5 & 6), and the budget available is R27 874 990. Training for Grades 10 to 12 will be conducted at national/provincial/ district/cluster levels for all officials and teachers involved in Grades 11. The available budget for this is: R9 512 400.

Subject Committees for the General Education and Training (GET) and Further Education and Training (FET) Bands will be resuscitated/ established at provincial/ district/cluster  levels  using  Provincial  Curriculum  Guideline  (PCG)  03  entitled “Guidelines for Phase committees and Learning Area/Subject Committees”. For the GET Band engagements should focus on key aspects such as Lesson Plans, Pace- setters, Common Assessment Tasks, moderation of School Based Assessment, Teaching and Learning Support Material, Career Guidance and Subject Choices, etc.

For the FET Band engagements should focus on key aspects such as Grade 12 Support Programme, Lesson Plans, Work Schedules, Grade 10 CAPS Annual Teaching Plan, Common Assessment Tasks, moderation of School Based Assessment, Teaching and Learning Support Material, etc.

As far as Subject Improvement Plans are concerned we will focus on: National department Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) Reports, UMALUSI Subject Reports, 2011 Examiners‟ and Moderators‟, Reports, Eastern Cape Province Analysis of Grade 12 NSC Results, etc. to inform development of Provincial/District/School/ Grade/Class individually customised Subject  Improvement Plans. The Province is aiming for a 65% pass rate for Grade 12 in 2012. However, the national targets for Bachelor passes up to 2014 will be factored in as well. The available budget for this amounts to R2 900 000.

Increased Focus on Under-Performing Schools and Districts

The Department is receiving support from the DBE to address challenges in the eleven Districts that performed below the 60% pass rate in last year's National Senior Certificate results. I am also pleased to announce that the Department has also accepted additional support in four of these 11 districts from the GM Foundation to reinforce improvements in the management of underperforming schools, circuits and districts. The following measures will be implemented by the Department:

The Curriculum Support strategy entails the Analysis of 2011 Grade 12 provincial results to inform identification of under-performing FET schools at district level, using criteria below 65% overall school pass rate; Analysis of 2011 Grade 12 national pass rate per subject to inform identification of subject under-performance at provincial / district / school levels; and Identification of GET Feeder Schools to under-performing FET schools.

Dedicated teams of District officials will be formed and allocated to each under- performing school. Such teams will use the key deliverables above to direct their monitoring and support of under-performing schools. A further level of monitoring and support shall be effected at a provincial level directed at both under-performing districts and schools in the province. The amounts budgeted for this deliverable are R5 641 600 (FET Schools) and R9 243 235 (GET Schools).

Teacher Development

The aim in the FET Band is to equip teachers in National gateway subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Accounting, English First Additional Language. This initiative empowers teachers with knowledge of content and methodology, especially in underperforming schools in the prioritised Districts. For effectiveness, in line with the DBE Planning and Delivery Unit, these initiatives will be continued and enhanced in 2012. The budget for the enhancement of teachers‟ professional skills is: R 5 040 000. All the 23 Districts principals and School Governing Bodies from both GET and FET Band will be engaged, through the analysis of FET Secondary Schools‟ results in each District over the period of past 10 (ten) years, with the view to awakening both responsibility and accountability for productivity in the schooling system.

As stated above, the Department initiated centralised management of week-end classes and vacation schools in 2011.  This process will be firmed up and enhanced during 2012/13 with the view to broadening the scope of operation of such to ensuring that:

• specific Grade 11 subject gaps identified when releasing 2011 Grade 1 – 11 results are bridged up;
• winter and spring vacation schools are used for consolidation and forecast of the work done and/or to be done; and
• learners are exposed to teachers achieving more than the minimum 65% pass rate.

The training of centre managers and tutors and support to vacation schools in prioritised districts will be concentrated on.  The budget for this is: R4 128 000.

A holistic Mathematics and Science Improvement Strategy will be crafted and operationalised at provincial / district / school levels, mindful of national annual targets set up to 2014. This initiative includes learner incubation programmes for Mathematics and Science; provision of resources; development of teachers. The amount budgeted for this is R3 888 000. Coupled with teacher development programmes, there is also a need to equip the identified site for Mathematics and Science Academy at Trinset.

This entails training of principals in underperforming FET schools that have shown low attainment rates in the eleven (11) underperforming districts, including selected GET Feeder schools. The focus will be on coaching and monitoring of implementation patterns in targeted underperforming schools; training in instructional leadership, regulatory compliance and institutional management.

A special focus will also be put on underperforming FET schools constantly falling below 20%. These principals will be pulled out for 6 (six) months training that will incorporate all management and leadership aspects, including attachment onto high achieving ones.

Training and support to EDOs and subject advisers on legal issues, management of curriculum and school improvement strategies/ establishment of district-based training teams and sites/production or updating of job aids and process manuals for EDOs and school managers will be the deliverables in this case. The budget for underperforming schools is: R 3 960 000.

The Department is concerned that the skills levy has not been used optimally to the benefit of teachers who should be the targets and, therefore, this issue is being prioritised for 2012. An audit is being run in this regard pertaining to current and deserving participants, and the alignment of allocations with identified Departmental priorities, including proper utilisation thereof. The total budget for this programme is R93.478 million.

The focus areas will be the qualification of teachers with special skills such as Sign Language, Braille and Augmentative and alternative communication.  The budget for this is R2.106 million.

Training a cohort of 250 practitioners at NQF level 4, and a cohort at NQF level 5 will be the deliverable. For sustainability and multiplier-effect, specialists and/or co-ordinators in this area of operation will be targeted and utilised on our own-based sites.  The budget for this is R9.928 million.

In 2012 the focus areas will be the Conduct of External Assessments/ Examinations for Grades 1 to 6, Grade 9 and Grades 11 to 12; Strict adherence to progression and promotion regulations; and Enforcement of all requirements relating to School Based Assessment.

Management plans and administrative processes will be developed at provincial, district and school levels to ensure the conduct of credible, authentic and verifiable external examinations, including the 2012 Annual National Assessments. The available budget for Assessment & Examinations is R261 741 000.

Honourable Speaker, the second priority for 2012/13 relates to RESOURCING OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOL FUNCTIONALITY.  The work to be done here includes distribution of adequate levels of funding to schools to address various school needs, strengthening management and governance in schools, infrastructure development, and School Enrichment Programmes.

For the 2012/13 financial year, a budget of R1.3 billion has been set aside for distribution to schools, which is less than the norm. However, it is expected that the Department will realise savings in the course of the financial year as it addresses identified inefficiencies, which will be used to increase the funding levels for the schools before the end of the 2012/13 financial year. The Department has a noted that many schools are not always fully utilising the funding according to the norms, which may for example lead to an undersupply of LTSM for learners. A forensic investigation is being rolled out.

A new integrated LTSM system for all schools is being developed for the 2012/13 financial year. The need for the provisioning of additional material to schools in the Foundation Phase and Grade 12 is a priority.

The Department is still faced with huge backlogs (estimated to be about R300 million) with regard to school furniture provisioning. The amount set aside for school furniture has dropped from R60 million in the previous year to R20.920 million for the 2012/13 financial year. An additional amount of R 30 million was also set aside in 2011/12 for emergency purchases of furniture. As in the case of the distribution of funding to schools mentioned above, it is also expected that Department will generate savings in the course of the financial year as it deals with removing inefficiencies, which will be used to significantly increase the funding levels for furniture in schools before the end of the 2012/13 financial year.

Additional amounts of R4.277 million and R4.860 million have also been set aside to assist the Agricultural Schools and Technical High Schools not participating in the recapitalisation grant in purchasing equipment for practical subjects.

An amount of R23.405 million has been set aside to enhance Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools. The remaining 2, 644 Schools will be provided with laptops to support implementation of South African Schools Administration & Management System (SA - SAMS); establishment of 72 School ICT Laboratories; provisioning of Internet Connectivity to support SA - SAMS and provisioning of software to all schools from the Eastern Cape Microsoft Agreement. The impact of all of this will be an improved credibility of learner data provided, improved monitoring and tracking of curriculum progress, improved financial and stock record keeping by schools, improved support for school administration and improved information to support better decision making.

As regards infrastructure development, In the next financial year the following facilities are currently under construction and will be completed; 377 ordinary classrooms, 66 ECD centres, three resource centres, 29 administration blocks, three computer rooms, six laboratories and 1 102 toilets across the province. In addition Learner Assessment Centres are under construction in Lady Frere and Zwelitsha to be completed in the 2013/2014 financial year. The Zwelitsha Document Centre is also under construction and will be completed in the 2012/2013 financial year. Two specials schools are under construction in the OR Tambo region to the value of R45 million and two additional special schools will commence in the 2012/2013 financial year. In the Cacadu District four schools are currently been renovated to a total value of R138 million to be completed in the 2012/2013 financial year. Workshops are also under constructed at four technical schools to the value of R24 million to be completed in the 2012/2013 financial year.

The programme of public hearings on rationalisation of schools will continue until June 2012. This will culminate in the communities being able to make submissions regarding how the ideal of creating viable, functional and well-resourced schools can be attained in their respective areas. Once the inputs have been collated this will culminate into the development of Provincial Regulations on rationalisation and re-alignment of schools as a policy framework to guide the process. Rationalisation of schools will also be linked to infrastructure planning. The budget set aside for the current financial year is R1.352 million.

The budget for Quality Improvement Development Support and Upliftment Programme (QIDS-UP) meant to provide redress to the poorest of the poor primary schools in respect of Basic Minimum Resource Packages to support teaching and learning and provision of basic material resources has reduced from R6.800 million in the previous year to R4.054 million in the current financial year. The following resources will be provided to these rural primary schools: school furniture, basic minimum resource package for the foundation phase, school library books, etc. This will result in the improved access of learners in rural areas to enabling teaching and learning environment.

In the 2012/13 financial year the School Nutrition Programme will be expanded to include 108 schools previously in Quintiles 4 and 5, but have since won contestation, and all special school learners in addition to schools in the first three quintiles currently benefiting. A further 32 schools have received kitchens. The new community based model will contribute to one of the five priority areas of government namely job creation by creating a market for local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and prioritising Agricultural Parks where schools procure food for their learners. Monitoring of the programme will be intensified as district monitors will be increased from 44 to 54 officials and school communities are also expected to report any irregularities concerning the School Nutrition Programme. The Conditional Grant approved for this programme for 2012/13 amounts to R903.644 million.

Our partnership with the Department of Transport in the provisioning of scholar transport for learners walking long distances to schools is bearing the desired fruits. Since the partnership was born, it is pleasing to note that no accident was reported as vehicles are safe and suitable to ferry learners. I acknowledge that demand for this service far outweighs the resources available and in this regard the Department will work with the relevant departments to consider other cost effective possibilities including use of bicycles and other non-motorised transport.

Strengthening management and governance in schools

March 2012 is an SGB election month and all schools will have new School Governing Bodies (SGBs). Despite initial teething problems, the elections of SGBs are proceeding smoothly. The Department is assisted with technical support from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). The IEC has been involved in training District officials and monitoring of school elections. This will in turn require extensive induction and training programmes to empower the all newly appointed SGBs. An amount of R5.915 million has been set aside for this purpose. To further strengthen support to SGBs, the Department will reinforce its efforts in institutionalising the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign toward mass mobilisation of communities to support teaching and learning at schools and assist schools in the establishment of Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) structures at school, circuit and district level for improved accountability. The impact of the training and support will be improved capacity for SGBs to invoke their authority and improved governance and support to schools.

The continuous development of School Management Teams (SMTs) and induction of newly  appointed  members  of  SMTs,  for  improved  management  capacity  and instructional leadership remains a critical priority for the department. This is because there is direct relationship between effective schools and effectual leadership. Priority will also be given to the principals of underperforming Senior Secondary Schools and their feeder GET schools and R2.760 million is set aside for this purpose.  The department will also continue with its programmes of empowerment of women managers at school level, both as a mechanism to address imbalances on issues of equity considering that women are in the majority in our schools.

School Enrichment Programmes

School enrichment programmes remain a powerful vehicle for instilling positive values amongst school going youth. In collaboration with the Department of Sport Recreation Arts and Culture mass participation of learners in variety of sporting activities and cultural activities will be encouraged. The intention is to encourage mass participation, especially at school, circuit and district level. The budget set aside for this purpose is R24.954 million.

The third departmental priority for 2012/13 is improving MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, including systems to address negative audit outcomes. The following additional areas identified require urgent intervention:

• Risk management;
•  internal control;
• PERSAL clean up; and
• data verification of Education Management Information Systems.

These projects will be financed from the R80 million given to the Department by Provincial Treasury.

The 2012/ 13 financial year will see the strengthening of the systems around planning, expenditure, procurement and reporting in Districts and schools. Areas to be prioritised are around monitoring and clearing of municipal services payments. There will also be a clean-up and reconciliation of Conditional Grant as well as information between Human Resource and Finance especially in areas of payroll management and tax reconciliations. Part of district improvement includes introduction of internal control in Districts. This may be done through a centralised process until resources are adequately capacitated.

With a view to improving the 2010/11 audit finding, the Department will institutionalise the proposed risk management system by making risk management every employee's business and ensuring that risk management is one of the key performance indicators of every Senior manager. The Internal Audit unit will review the risks and adequacy of operational procedures, controls in Districts and Head Office, review monitoring mechanisms, including internal controls over transfer payments, LTSM, Learner Transport and the School Nutrition Programme, review processes to detect and record related party transactions, and review the adequacy of the Audit Intervention Plan processes.

To address the 4th priority of ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE CHANGE, in the short term various critical posts need to be filled, human resources developed and the current organisation structure reviewed.

Let me place on record my appreciation for the resources and support the Department has received from the Office of the Premier, Department of Public Service and Administration, National Treasury, Provincial Treasury and the Department of Roads and Public Works. The additional capacity and support has been provided for: Culture Change; review of the organisational structure, Financial Management, document management, Human Resource Management, Internal Audit, Risk Management and Supply Chain Management. This is contributing to a significant renewal of the organisation's culture as „new blood‟ has been injected into the department's senior management.

The additional capacity and support in culture change has seen a roll out of culture change programmes through all 11 identified districts. I have pleasure in reporting that the Departmental Executive Committee comprising the Head of Department, Deputy Directors-General, the CFO and Chief Directors, have identified key challenges and proposed solutions to deal with all short comings related to accountability. This includes taking control of the strategic management of the Department and overall control of audit process for 2011/12 going forward. Honourable members the establishment of the call centre has ensured that our stakeholder management is enhanced as well as ensuring that there is communication with several communities during the school readiness programme.

An amount of R18 million has also been provided for the filling of critical Senior Management Service (SMS) positions. Approval has already been obtained for the advertising and filling of thirteen critical posts. It is envisaged that the above posts will be filled by June 2012.

In addition to these, an organisational structure has been developed for the Chief Directorate for Physical Resource Management in the Department. The funding estimated at R10 million will be provided by National Treasury through a Conditional Grant for the new posts created at managerial level as well as for Technical and professional posts.

The capacitation of the Internal Audit Services and Risk Management unit is also critical, hence the need to design and develop an organogram for this function as a matter of urgency. The estimated cost for the structure is R11 493 192. The budget for the filling of these newly created posts for this component will have to be provided for.

The focus in this financial year will be on ensuring full compliance with the PMDS in the Department by having all managers contract with their direct reports and also complete Personal Development Plans. The Moderation Committees will also be strengthened; hence funds have been set aside for this area, to cover staff training and visits to the Districts.

Currently the HRD function within the Department is not coordinated. A comprehensive Integrated HRD Strategy with the various Programme Managers which will take into consideration the needs of the Department. In addition to ensuring that educators are developed in the areas of Mathematics, Science and Commerce, particular attention will be given to the development of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Practitioners (bursaries), as well as in the retention of educators once they acquire these skills. There is also a need to assess the effectiveness of training so as to ensure return on investment.

B Ed Bursary is one of the modes of delivery in Skills Development Programme to try and increase the pool of available educators, particularly in the areas that have been identified as having scarce skills.

The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has recently developed a generic organisational structure for provincial education departments, which has been approved. A process to develop a detailed functional organogram will ensue and this will be followed by a consultation and communication process. Assistance will be provided by the DPSA as well as consultants who will be engaged to assist with the implementation process.

2012/13 Budget

Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members, I now table to this House the Departmental budget for Vote number six (6) for 2012/13 financial year.

In conclusion, Honourable Speaker, permit me to repeat the words of the Premier in her SONA last month: “we proceed from an understanding that education is a tool for breaking the cycle of poverty and underdevelopment. To this end, the task of strengthening education and building a skills and human resources base remains one of our critical priorities. We are also acutely aware of the constant challenges that are faced by education in the province and I will not bore this House by detailing these challenges. However, I would like to assure Honourable Members and the citizens of this province of our unwavering commitment to rid the education system of these challenges.”

Working with all our stakeholders/partners and our educators and acknowledging the conditions they work under we are committed to shaping the future of our children in this Province, for them to climb out of poverty and have a level playing field with children from other provinces.

Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members of the House, I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our teachers who remain committed to improving the quality of basic education in our schools, in some case under very trying circumstances. I also wish to say thank you to all parents and SGBs as well as all other the stakeholders and social partners, who continue play a meaningful role in the education system. Finally, allow me to express my appreciation to the Head of the Department, his senior managers and the rest of the employees, who together with me experienced this turbulent year that is almost behind us.

Let us not lose hope; always remember we are in the business of hope – education gives hope, especially to poor people that they can improve their standard of living and enjoy a better life.

Honourable Speaker, it is therefore my pleasure to table the Department's budget, Vote 6, for the 2012/13 financial year to the House for consideration.

I thank you!
Ndiyabulela!
Ek bedank u!
Ke a leboha!