Honourable Speaker and Deputy Speaker
Honourable Premier, Mr Cassel Mathale
My colleagues in the Executive Council - MECs
Members of the Provincial Legislature
Chairperson of Education Portfolio Committee, Honourable Joyce Maluleke
Executive mayors and mayors of municipalities
Director General and heads of departments
Leadership of the African National Congress (ANC)
Stalwarts and veterans of our struggle
Leaders of opposition parties
Leadership of chapter nine and ten institutions
Our esteemed majesties and Royal Highnesses here present,
House of traditional leaders and CONTRALESA,
HOD of Education, Mr Morebudi Thamaga and your team
School principals and chairpersons of School Governing Bodies (SGB) present,
Leadership of teacher unions, Congress of South African Trade Unions COSATU and other labour unions
Our donor partners
Chairperson of National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)
Representatives of youth structures and women structures,
Leaders of Congress of South African Students (COSAS) and South African Students Congress Organisation (SASCO)
Leadership of various religious formations
Leadership of business
Media guests
Comrades, ladies and gentlemen
Dumelang, good day, goeiedag, ndi masiari, thobela, xewani, lotshani.
Honourable speaker
As descendants of the Great Warrior Kings inspired by their revolutionary spirits, we are cheerful of the growing wisdom enshrined in our hearts as good medicine to our broken spirits that saps our strengths. We are gathered here today, on the mandate of the voter population of our Province, at the time when the African National Congress is celebrating 100 years of its existence, based on the theme,” the year of unity in diversity; towards establishment of the National Democratic society”.
The theme is well articulated in the January 8 statement, which gives us an account of selfless struggle waged over decades of fighting for liberation, freedom and democracy. It alludes that; the central objective of the Reconstruction and Development, is to provide education opportunities for the people to realise their full potential for development and growth in order to change their quality of lives and their communities.
Despite the education challenges, brought by the ravages of apartheid, we have, through our policies for the development and conservation of our natural resources - i.e. human, natural and scientific, laid the basis for a different future attested by progress we have made in building a single, non-racial, non-sexist and national public education system.
The government of the African National Congress fully understands that education and training stimulates potential of students and learners, thereby forms the fundamental basis for societal development, hence in pursuit of the supreme goal, have identified education as an apex project for national consideration.
Our commitment therefore, is based on our aim to ensure efficient and future orientated education system from the basic through to higher levels of education, with the necessary throughput rate characterised by quality and maximum efforts to redress the inequalities of the past and performance challenges.
At this conjuncture, of our National Democratic Revolution, as we are taking a long time horizon envisioned in our policy statements, we need to pose a question: “What is the socio-economic character of the National Democratic Society?” We should, equally, take note of progress made in the first phase of our transition based on the National consensus that was appropriate for political transition.
We furthermore note the triple challenges facing the society i.e. poverty, inequality, unemployment and therefore contextually locate the importance of education as the primary instrument that among others should be used to advance our struggle for social and economic transformation. That is why through this process, within the given policy framework, we should ensure appropriate distribution of resources to empower the motive forces of our education revolution, theoretically, practically, institutionally, textually, managerially and make them active agents for quality change.
This should be based on our profound understanding, that transformation and transfer of power intended in the second phase of our transition, its sustenance and deepening would be strengthened by the quality of the education and training system and its access by the working class and the poor is a necessary precondition. Conscience stricken organic, academic intellectuals, deriving their strengths, from the masses of our people have an ideological battle to fight. Institutions of society should produce the necessary brain power for this period.
Honourable Speaker, the construction of the new direction based on a revolutionary agenda, advanced by the fortified working class, as the instrument of the revolution, informed by the major democratic advance, made by the freedom charter, as our powerful vision, would remain our development ideology in seeking lasting solutions to societal challenges.
These would require revolutionary discipline, high moral and clear comprehension of the tasks to be performed without conceit, illusions and false hopes, but with faith and exceptional leadership to insulate the system from possible reverses.
We have developed Education Plan 2025 that directs the country and aims to strengthen our curriculum focus, bond the people and their government through pedagogic relations of support and enlightenment. It must also strengthen the consciousness as a necessary condition to ensure longevity and durability of our system.
Through this plan we want to mould the characters of young people, enhance a high sense of moral and ethical values and prepare them to become productive and capable citizens of our democratic country. This plan is intended to address the probable inherent systemic challenges and put our education system at another level, where it would respond to the International norms and standards and make us competitive and turn our schools into centres of excellence. With the committed public service cadres that are there, we are very confident that we would progress well.
Honourable speaker, the President in his State of the Nation Address said, “Our call to teachers to be at school, in class, on time, teaching for at least seven hours a day remains a pivotal success”.
In this regard, we continue to provide the educational, cultural, social, economic and technological development through the provision of education, as a result of the hard work of the educators. To this far, we are very much encouraged by the commitment displayed by the motive forces of our Education Revolution i.e. teachers, learners, parents, officials and communities, who advance an agenda that ensures quality classroom practise for good performance and better results.
The Education Revolution is calling on all Men and Women, Young and Old across ages
The Revolution is echoing sounds of hope right from the Tswime Mountain top in Vhembe District, reverberating across the forests causing wild swans, who bathe in the nearby Fundudzi Lake, to flap their mighty wings. The sounds hover above the horizon and offer nostalgic greetings to the good people of Thulamela ruins in the Kruger National Park and inspire the ancestral land at Mapungubwe and of Makhado.
These sounds of hope are leaving an indelible mark on the mighty Tjate Mountain Peak in Sekhukhune where the warrior Kings and Queens fought for their freedom, right across the Nomshekele Shrines in Ekgolweni valley. The voice of the Education Revolution is bellowed from the Leolo Mountains causing waves in the Great Flag Boshielo Dam, enveloping with hope the Mmalebitsa open fields.
The Education Revolution is sharpened right on top of the Modimolle Mountain in the hands of our forebears who relentlessly fought to remove the shackles of famine, oppression and subjugation. Here the voice is solemnly accepted in the Mokopane‘s Cave where our forefathers drunk the waters of hope and success.
The revolution is carried through the ageless rivers and forests of the Mangombe hillock in Giyani, right across the Magoebaskloof pushing its reach across the Phalaborwa forests, rivers and rivulets in Mopani.
The voice of the Revolution is firmly planted in the great Blouberg and Malebogo mountains, watered by thin vapour from the Mogalakwena River cutting across the open fields, which were once traversed, tip toed and walked through by the great warriors who left this land as our gift and heritage.
It is not too late to join the education revolution in order to ensure the prosperity of our people. It cannot be what the Education Revolution has done to you, your village, your town and your children. It should be what are you prepared to contribute for your village, your town, and your children in order to ensure the prosperity of the people through delivery of the education revolution.
We urge all Mayors of our towns and villages
We urge all the traditional leaders
We urge all Ministers of religions
We urge all men and women of the province
To join the education revolution
To ensure the prosperity of our people.
Our children do not demand much in order to reach the pinnacle of the revolution. They just need simply things. They need your support, they need recognition and above all they need encouragements and guidance.
As part of our commitment to quality public education, we have been able to establish a productive classroom culture based on five key areas: ability to influence, manage, engage, control and discipline. This enhances a culture of performance in our schools. That is why our learners’ performance have improved from 48.9% in 2009, to 57.9% in 2010 and then to 63.9% in 2011.This constitutes 15% improvement. Many words of thanks to the Education Team, our teachers and our schools for the splendid performance.
Today as I present this budget, we are joined by principals of schools who continue to do our province proud in the improvement of Grade 12 results. These are schools that presented more than fifty candidates last year and produced hundred percent pass.
| District | Circuit | School | wrote | pass | % |
| Greater Sekhukhune | Phokoane | Moreko Senior Secondary | 62 | 62 | 100 |
| Waterberg | Naboomspruit | Hoerskool Hans Strijdom | 72 | 72 | 100 |
| Capricorn | Pietersburg | Taxilla Combined | 77 | 77 | 100 |
| Capricorn | Mogoshi | Harry Oppenheimer | 88 | 88 | 100 |
| Waterberg | Potgietersrus | Waterberg High | 94 | 94 | 100 |
| Capricorn | Bochum East | Dendron Secondary | 153 | 153 | 100 |
| Mapani | Tzaneen | Merensky High | 180 | 180 | 100 |
| Capricon | Pietersburg | Hoerskool Pietersburg | 262 | 262 | 100 |
Above that, there are other 43 schools which also produced hundred percent pass in their grade 12 results but with less than fifty candidates. They are all here today, and I would like to request their principals and school governing bodies’ chairpersons to all rise. We would like to thank all of you comrades and colleagues, for your sterling work.
Rena re bo maila go fenywa, mphato o mogolo wa mafolosa nkwe thabeng;
Ba re mankwe le reng Mahlo a hwibitse,
Ra re ga re omiwe ka legare, ra bowa ra beulwa tlopo ka lona, Rena ba rego ge o hlaba pitsi, o e hlabe hlogo, o se ke wa senya moetse wa ngaka.
Rena ba marumo a nthla tse bogale, ba rego la go kgwatha mosegare monene tadi e amusa e swara ke mororomelo boka phefo ya marega.
Ohlaku wa Raphogole’a Ngwato boba sa mohlaka, molaodi wa tulo ya lekgotlatheramelao.
Given the momentum we have set and the need to sustain and continue to improve our results, we have set a minimum target of 70% this year which we are confident to achieve, given our record of performance.
We have also spoken loudly about the pillars of the education revolution:
- Leadership and Management
- Governance
- Curriculum implementation and coverage
- Teacher Development and Support LTSM supply and resources availability
- Infrastructure provision
- Learner attainment and discipline
- Teacher development and Support
- Financial management and accountability
- Parental support and involvement
- Monitoring, support and evaluation
- Sound labour relations
- Stakeholder mobilisations
These constitute programme areas around which a broad front should be organised continuously to realise their implementation and success. Our province, comrades and fellow South Africans, is known for its ability to produce citizens of profile and good standing in the society. As such, we should be proud because our schools are not characterised by reprobation but have men and women of repute.
That is why we have produced two learners who were among the best ten learners in the country who were recognised by our Minister i.e. Jeffrey Murodovha from Mbilwi High School in Vhembe and Bembe Thomas Harris from Phafane High School in Sekhukhune.
Honourable speaker, we remain a province of academic excellence given the major wards we won at the prestigious National Teachers Awards ceremony held this year on 23 February 2012 at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Gauteng province.
Mr Mmipe George Mokgehle from Toronto Primary School in Capricorn District scooped the Lifetime Achievement Award. He won a new car and R 25 000.00. This award is coming to the province for the second time, because in 2010, it was won by Mr. Swart, the retired Principal of Ben Vorster high school The Kader Asmal Award was scooped by Mr. Nkhangwe Elias Nemudzivhadi from Thengwe High School in Vhembe District. He won an overseas trip to Canada. This is a new prestigious award introduced for the first time and it came to Limpopo.
The province also obtained position two in the category of Excellence in Grade R teaching, won by Mrs Makhupe Rachel Manasoe from Onani primary school in Sekhukhune, and Excellence in Primary School leadership, won by Nndwanatso Ndou from Dzindzi primary school in Vhembe. May you all rise and take a bow.
Our ECD practitioners and centres continued with their trend of scooping awards. They have participated in the South African Awards 2011 in Early Childhood Development celebrated under the auspices of ABSA. DOE, DOSD, South African Congress of Early Childhood Development, Unicef, Jim Joel fund and NDA.
These awards are aimed at promoting excellence, hard work, dedication and investment in the future of our children. I have the honour to inform this honourable house that Mrs M Talakgale Melita from Swarishanang ECD Site, Ga Dikgale in Capricorn District got position two at National level for the category: Best ECD Site of the year 2011. May you also rise and take a bow. Not to mention the Premiers’ Excellence Awards that we got recently.
2. Budget trends
Honourable Speaker, the budget I am presenting today is a product of intense discussion and consultations. It respond to the pressures we have had as a result of cutting funds from key programmes in order to fund the compensation of employees, which resulted in serious difficulties that we have experienced. And in this budget, we have fully budgeted for the compensation of employees. However, since the shifting of the budget in 2011/12 was done over the MTEF period, the budget for 2012/13 was prepared already with a carry through of the cuts that were made as indicated above.
The budget I am tabling amounts to R22,125 billion for the financial year 2012/13, which represents a growth of 5% from the adjusted budget of the year nearing an end. R166,7 million of this funding is received for unauthorised expenditure approved with funding. As this amount is not available for spending, therefore the amount available for the financial year 2012/13 is R 21,9 billion, which represents a growth of 4.23 % of the adjusted budget.
The budget increases to R23,2 billion and R24,5 billion for the 2013/14 and 2014/15 financial years respectively, which represents an increase of 5,9 % and 5,5%.
Considering the fact that the consumer inflation assumptions for 2012/13 were given as 5.3 % for 2013/14 as 5.5% and for 2014/2015 as 5%, it becomes apparent that the budget has actually remained constant. The budget for goods and services has on the other hand actually decreased by 7.5% for 2012/13 and only increased by 3.09% which is below the indicative consumer inflation percentages.
The budget is funded by R19.6 billion from the equitable share, R2.4 billion from the conditional grants and R41 million from the department’s own receipts. Included in the equitable share allocation is an earmarked allocation of R 650 million to supplement compensation of employees and R177 million for improvement in conditions of service.
R20.3 billion or 94.4% of this budget is allocated to programmes that cater for the core mandate of the department, which is actual teaching and learning. Of the amount allocated to the core mandate of the department R 19.3 billion, which represents 87% of the total budget, is allocated to programme two (2) which is for public ordinary schools. This represents a growth of 5.6% of the 2011/2012 budget.
Honourable speaker, R101 million is allocated for subsidy payments to independent schools which is an increase of 40.9%, R309.9 million is allocated for Public Special Schools; R536.6 million for transfers to FET colleges; R138 million for Adult Basic Education and Training; R206 million for Early Childhood Development and R3.4 million for Auxiliary and Associated Services. Administration is allocated R1.246 Billion.
Transfers to public ordinary schools have been allocated R 496 million. While this is an increase from the allocation for 2011/12, it is still at 62% of the amount that should have been provided as per the Norms and Standards guideline which sets out the amount that must be allocated per learner.
R18.4 billion or 83% of the budget is allocated for compensation of employees, R1.8 billion for goods and services, R934 million for transfers and subsidies, R979 million for payment of capital assets.
R16.3 billion of the compensation of employees which is 89% is allocated to Programme 2: Public Ordinary Schools. This is a significant allocation as this programme provides for the payment of our educators. R1.06 billion or 5.6% of the compensation of employees is allocated to administration.
Considering that the bulk of the department’s budget is allocated to compensation of employees, it becomes very critical for the HR systems to be strengthened to ensure proper systems management and administration. An amount of R1.3 million has been allocated for HRD systems and capacity building.
The amount that is allocated to compensation of employees is only for filled posts as at the 31 December 2012. This means that we are not budgeting for filling of any other positions over the MTEF period and for this purpose any vacancy on the organisational structure shall have not been budgeted for. We will only fill the attrition posts that are considered critical and will apply over the MTEF period unless additional funding is received. Therefore we should not be asked why posts are not filled in the administration.
Honourable speaker, R249 million is allocated for the procurement of LTSM and we are working together with the Department of Basic Education to consider more efficient methods of LTSM procurement and provision, to ensure that learners have access to the support material they need within the limited resources available in this regard.
The challenge that will be faced with, is the fact that in 2012/13 CAPS will be introduced in Grade4-9 and for that purpose the procurement of textbooks will have to be done on a 100% basis instead of top up, which would have been the case where there had been no curriculum change and textbooks had previously been supplied.
The plan of the department is however to supply 100% of the stationary and textbooks for CAPS while all other prioritised subjects will be supplied on a top up basis. In terms of anticipated pressures, Education and Treasury will have to see how that gets attended to in the interest of the children of the working class and the poor.
In order for us to get the most out of the limited budget for LTSM, it will be critical for learners and educators to handle with utmost care the textbooks that they have been supplied with, recognising that these should still be used by learners coming after them.
In this regard we are busy reviewing textbooks retrieval system to ensure 100% retrieval where possible. Noting that the quantity of learner support materials ordered is dependent on learner numbers, we will be engaging in a rigorous exercise to clean up the learners’ statistics to ensure appropriate decisions in support and provision areas. For this purpose, R16.5 million is allocated for the expansion of EMIS- that is, Education Management Information Systems, which will be crucial in the attainment of this objective.
3. Strategic Goals
In pursuit of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, informed by the National Planning Commission and the Growth Path, that for us to destroy the remnants of apartheid education, we must advance an ideological revolution which continues to introduce into society, new values, new content to education and culture. It is certainly destined to locate education at the center of our growth and development as a nation.
The following department strategic goals are key:
- Transformation of Educational Institution into accessible, functional and quality centres
- Promotion of access to education through independent schools
- Transformation of Public Special Schools into accessible, functional and quality centres
- Contribute to reduction of illiteracy in adult learners to enable them to access further learning and employment opportunities
- Build a firm foundation for further learning
- Provision of education services including examinations and Maths, Science and Technology programmes
- Encouragement of parents and communities to take active parts in education of their children
- Mobilise stakeholders and partnerships.
4. Financial Administration and Management
The budget appropriated to us constitutes a large percentage of the total provincial budget. We fully understand the responsibility placed on us to ensure its appropriate administration and management. We are hard at work to perfect finance systems and provide the required administrative capacity and leadership. Furthermore in pursuit of clean audit, accountability and financial management, we have infused in our plans the clean audit strategy and the Head of Department (HOD) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) are at the centre of its implementation. We will in the next financial year strengthen the finance unit by employing people with the requisite skills.
We further note the areas highlighted by the Auditor General that is:
- Asset Management
- Receivables
- Commitments
- Financial Management
- Employee benefits.
And other matters of emphasis he made. The department has set out an action plan to address the identified areas.
5. Curriculum
Honourable speaker, curriculum delivery constitutes the core responsibility of the department. As such the strategies and plans that we have developed remain our interventions and support framework and guidelines, through which intensive work gets done to ensure cognitive development of the learners and makes the system productive.
Equally the success of our schools in this regard depends on the following:
- Time management, that is, time on task
- Teacher and Learner attendance Content and method
- Sufficient written work given to learners and their profiling
- Classroom culture
- Quality contact in classrooms Setting of goals and targets
- Completion of curriculum in time
- Provisioning of leadership by the Principal and School
- Management Team
- Extra classes and learners study groups
Having said that, it also remains the responsibility of District and Circuit officials to make sure that they are on site to intensify quality learning and teaching. Going forward it remains critical to ensure adherence to the following:
- Staff attendance register
- Learners class attendance register
- Class period control register
- Effective monitoring on the utilisation of the instruments of accountability
- Quality support and monitoring
The strengthening of our curriculum advisory services is also key in responding to the pedagogical and curriculum reform demands.
5.1 District Performance
Like I said, the turnaround strategy has made tremendous impact and it is important to note how our Districts have performed comparatively speaking in 2010 and 2011.
| District | 2010 | 2011 |
| Vhembe | 63.1% | 70.3% |
| Capricorn | 64.4% | 66.8% |
| Sekhukhune | 52.5% | 60.8% |
| Mopani | 51.9% | 60.1% |
| Waterberg | 49.9% | 55.1% |
This is an indication that teams in districts led by the district senior managers are fired in their imagination and would want to see the Province performing at a very high level. Keep up the good work colleagues; we really have trust and confidence in you. We have the right men and women who understand the national duty of improving the quality of our education system. 70% this year is what we should achieve.
Given that we have already done an analysis of the Grade 12 results and have a provincial picture, district situations, circuits reports, schools and subject performance and have had consultation meetings in all our districts, with Secondary School principals, SGBs and teachers where we shared the information. We are all very aware of what obtains.
Noting that we have reduced the number of dysfunctional schools from 738 to 368 in the past two years, we are confident that we will further reduce them this academic year and probably close them in the following year i.e. in 2013 and 2014.
5.2 Annual National Assessment (ANA)
Honourable speaker, our country has for the first time in the history of our education system, adopted an instrument that ensures common assessment standard for the lower grades in the system. This is a major step in our response to the systemic challenges but also begin to conscientise Primary Schools’ Leadership and Management that things cannot be done as usual.
We expect all of you principals to preside over functional schools that indeed empower the young ones with curriculum content. All children must be able to read and write and know the basics of mathematics, which is to add, subtract, divide and multiply. The intention this year is to have our Minister announcing the results publicly, for the Nation to know how our primary schools perform. We are going to have a report published on the performance of our primary schools.
This is the Standardised National Assessment for Languages and Mathematics in the Intermediate phase i.e. Grade 4-6, and numeracy and literacy for the foundation phase i.e. Grade 1-3. The analysis we have done reveals that our Learners performed below expectation. We convened the Summit on the State of Primary Schools education where ANA results were presented and also had summits in all our districts where presentations which triggered serious discussions were made to primary schools principals, teachers, SGBs and community based organisations.
As part of our intervention strategy on ANA, all primary schools were categorised in accordance with learner performance and differentiated strategies are being implemented. We are confident that this year we will perform better when learners will be assessed in September
5.3 Mathematics and Physical Science
Limpopo was amongst the top three provinces that registered more candidates in Grade 12 Mathematics and in Physical Science. We have improved performance in Mathematics from 39.6% to 44.5% and Physical Science from 41.3% to 52.1% though still under the National norm of 60%. Our Dinaledi Schools have performed well and the analysis we have done shows that in the ten top subjects, comparatively speaking with the Independent Schools, they have done exceptionally well.
I am happy Honourable speaker, to announce that the overall performance in Maths and Physical Science in Dinaledi Schools for the academic year 2011 compared to other provinces is as follows:
In Mathematics:
Limpopo, Gauteng and the Free State all got 61% which is position one(1 ) followed by Western Cape at 60%, remember last year we got position two( 2) after North West.
And in Physical Science:
Limpopo obtained 75% which is position1, followed by Free State at 67%, remember also that last year we got position 1 at 70% and this time we have improved by 5%. Comrades and colleagues, undoubtedly this clearly demonstrates the strength of our Province and gives us an accurate evidence of the progress we are making in the public education system.
I would like to call upon all our schools to emulate the good work done by these school and many others that have put our Province where it is today. There is a huge potential to surprise the country and we are almost there. And in this regard we have allocated R10.169 million to support these schools.
5.4 Teacher Development
Educators are very important to the education system; in fact it can stand or collapse on them. That’s why capacity building is crucial to strengthen educators and enrich their content and knowledge. So far, we have trained 300 practitioners in curriculum for 0-4 years. Training at this level is widely acknowledged as one of the most critical areas of intervention in education. The cognitive development of the child must be nurtured at this age group. We have developed Grade R materials to improve teaching and learning.
We have further trained 8 673 foundation phase educators, 1 080 practitioners and 9 671 Grade 10 educators on preparation for the introduction of Curriculum and Policy Statement this academic year 2012. We also trained 117 FET educators in Mathematics and Physical Science, and 57 FET educators in Accounting at our Continuous Professional Development Centre.
Honourable Speaker, for 2012/13 financial year, we will continue to intensify our training and implement our development strategies:
- 450 Practitioners will be trained in Curriculum 0 to 4 years
- 20 FET educators in Maths and Science, 120 Accounting and Business studies
- 80 Curriculum Advisors of Commercial subjects
- 25 740 Intermediate Phase educators will be trained in CAPS subject content, knowledge and methodology
- 17 588 educators will be trained in CAPS
- Implement strategies to make sure that primary school learners improve their performance in literacy, numeracy, languages and mathematics
- Work towards achieving 70% target for this year
- Intensify implementation of HeyMath programme in the identified 300 primary and secondary schools
- Strengthen partnerships with NGOs’, Private Sector and public sector institutions in critical subjects
- Develop and provide content focused teacher guides develop, review and provide learners’ self-study materials Support study groups in schools
- Use mobile laboratories to demonstrate and perform practical work or experiments
- Develop and administer common assessment in districts and at the province.
Just to mention few of the key focus areas for this year.
5.5 Inclusive Education and Public Special School
Honourable Speaker, last year we noted the challenges that confronted the sector of inclusive education and public special schools. This sector needs serious attention if not, the quality of tuition offered to learners with diversified disabilities and learner barriers will forever remain arguably challenged
This year, we will further intensify our advocacy campaign in line with the Constitution and Education White paper no.6. This policy aimed at ensuring that teaching, learning and support provision is improved in our special schools doing scholastic programmes.
In the ensuing financial year, I commit the department to further ensure that we convert some main stream schools into both inclusive and full service schools. In this regard, the schools, circuit and District based support teams will give the extra ordinary attention to the sector.
I wish to announce that, despite the challenges that Setotolwane had, which are receiving our attention, it has done well in its matric results and therefore it is no longer a dysfunctional school. Our plan to have a Braille center in the province is still on. I would also like to inform this august house, that as form April 2012, all our 34 special schools will now benefit from our National School Nutrition Programme. Through our infrastructure programme, we will be responding to some of the challenges that these schools are facing and also help them to intensify their academic work.
6. Early childhood development
This is an important programme in the development of a child and it serves as a fundamental building block in the development of children. Their cognitive capacities get developed and prepare them for proper entry in the mainstream education.
The number of learners we have in our ECD centres, are said to be 15% of those who are supposed to be attending. Together with the Department of Social Development we will have to intensify campaign to have children registered at these centres because if not, they will lose a fundamental period in their lives of building a strong foundation for their educational needs. I would also like to call upon municipalities to partner with us and help in providing ECD infrastructure buildings.
In the financial year 2011/2012, 1000 ECD practitioners NQF level 4 and also 1100 ECD practitioners NQF level 5 graduated and received their certificates. The skills acquired would enable them to help children before they go to formal schooling.
During the financial year 2012/13, we will train 200 cooks, 200 gardeners and 300 ECD practitioners in child care level 1. And furthermore, shall continue to create short term job opportunities for ECD practitioners, gardeners and cooks. Expanded Public works Programme on ECD remains a programme that will continue to receive the attention of the department.
7. District Coordinations and Institutional Governance
7.1 National School Nutrition Programme
The objective of the programme is to provide nutritious meals to learners and to alleviate short term hunger during schooling hours. This programme contributes to promoting access to education, thereby improving punctuality, school attendance, improvement of concentration and the learner’s general health.
In 2011/12 financial year, more than 1.5 million learners on average received meals for 193 feeding days. In 2012 financial year, 1,523,780 learners will receive nutritious meals for all school going days, i.e. 194 days. In addition the programme will be expanded to all Special Schools as well as Grade R learners that are in the registered community based centres. In this regard we have allocated R879,338,000.
The budget mentioned shall also be utilised for the provision of eating utensils in primary schools, where each learner will be provided with a plate and a spoon. The process will proceed for three consecutive years until all primary school learners have eating utensils as school property. Schools are encouraged to have vegetable gardens which will continue to supplement learner’s meals.
7.2 Scholar transport programme
Honourable Speaker, our province is vast and sparsely populated. If we cannot provide transport, many learners will not be able to access learning facilities. Beneficiaries in this programme are learners form Grade R to Grade 12 who travels 5Km or more to school and they must be attending public ordinary schools in the province.
Let me remind everyone out there, that parents and learners who choose schools that are far away from their places of residence are not covered by this scheme. It is my pleasure to announce that we had promised to ferry 21 000 learners in the current financial year and indeed those learners are benefiting from the programme despite the disruptions that we have seen this year. The department is on daily basis attending to those issues.
However, for the coming financial year, R134,209 million has been set aside to provide service to 22 000 learners. We are working with the Department of Roads and Transport to assess the roadworthiness of the vehicles transporting learners to schools. The safety of our learners will not be compromised.
I want to serve a notice to those who are privately transporting learners, that we will be coming to you, to also assess the roadworthiness of your vehicles. Sometimes when we travel around the Province, we do come across vehicles transporting learners which don’t seem to be in good condition.
The department is looking into a new model which will be implemented when a new bid is issued out in the next financial year. More detail will be provided when implementation starts, that will also give types of mode of transport. The number of routes to be advertised has increased to 277 and we will look into possibility of consolidating some of them.
7.3 Norms and Standards for school funding
Honourable speaker, at the core of the National Democratic Revolution is the obligation to improve the quality of life of all the citizens for them to use their talents to help our society flourish. For them to cope with the challenges of globalisation and utilise world technological revolution to our advantage, access to education is necessary to build brain power significant to advance socio-economic transformation.
Access to education by our learners through No FEE Schools Policy implementation, has made it possible for 97.7 % of our schools to provide tuition for free, which means our resolve to provide free education has hit the highest percentage in the province.
However, in the coming financial year, the department shall be providing allocations per learner below the national minimum allocations, as a result of what I alluded to in the beginning of the speech. The impact of the cuts we have effected last year, find expression in the budget over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.
The table below indicates allocation per learner:
| Quintile | 2011/12 | 2012/13 |
| 1 | R 475 | R 330 |
| 2 | R 434 | R 298 |
| 3 | R 434 | R 298 |
| 4 | R 147 | R 106 |
| 5 | R 61 | R 40 |
We have issued prescripts which outlines financial management at our schools. We are closely monitoring compliance and corrective measures are applied where there are challenges. We intend conducting an audit through our internal systems to check how this allocations are used.
School allocations are in the main supposed to support curriculum delivery and be used for the following:
- Equipment for educational purposes
- Science mobile kits
- Replenish science chemical
- Laboratory equipment
- Education consumable items like chalks and printing paper
- Minor repairs in schools
7.4 In-School sports, arts and culture
The department in collaboration with the Department of Sports Arts and Culture, and Provincial School Codes Committee have registered schools to participate in 11 codes of sports, these are: athletics (track field and cross country), basketball, chess, cricket, football, gymnastics, netball, rugby, volleyball, which is played by boys and girls with the exception of netball which is for now played by girls alone.
We have also signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure active school sports. We have participated in Track and Field Athletics held in Germiston and Paarl for primary and secondary schools. In cross country, we obtained position 2 while ELSEN MMH obtained position 1.
Limpopo hosted the provinces of Gauteng and North West on the weekend of the 9 – 10 December 2011 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium for the U/14 football for boys and girls.
The following schools represented the province as follows:
Results: Netball
| Age | position 1 | position 2 | position 3 | position 4 |
| U/14 | Wierda, Gauteng | Fumane, North West | Sokgedlwa, Limpopo(WaterbergDistrict) | Thakgalang, Limpopo(Capricorn District) |
| U/18 | Ntshusheko, Limpopo(Mopani) | Hebron Tech., NorthWest | Phakgamang, Limpopo(WaterbergDistrict) | Lebogang, Gauteng |
| LSEN | Roodepark, | Susan Strydom, | Keurhof, North |
Football boys
| Age group | position 1 | position 2 | position 3 | position 4 |
| U/14 | Benny’s Care, Limpopo( Vhembe District) | Agisanang, North West | Dorothy Langa, Limpopo (Capricorn District) | Sedibeng, Gauteng |
| U/18 | Mohloli, Gauteng | Benny’s Care, Limpopo(Vhemb e District) | Phakgameng, Limpopo (Waterberg District) | Leruntse Lesedi, North West |
| LSEN | Kwaggastrand, Gauteng | Keerhof, North West | Piet Joubert, Limpopo (Capricorn District) | Susan Strijdom, Limpopo(Vhembe District) |
Football girls
| Age group | position 1 | position 2 | position 3 | posistion 4 |
| U/14 | Motshitshi, Limpopo (Waterberg District) | Lefaragatlhe, North west | Thibedi, Limpopo (Sekhukhune District) | Edwin Mulaudzhi, Gauteng |
| U/18 | Itlotleng, North West | Tembisa, Gauteng | Mmamoka, Limpopo (Capricorn District) | Lepato, Limpopo (Mopani District) |
| LSEN | Propractum, Gauteng | Mahlasedi, Limpopo (Capricorn District) | Keerhof, North West |
LSEN MMH participated at the National LSEN MMH Football Tournament from 2–6 October 2011 in Pietermaritzburg and obtained position 3 out of seven province represented at the tournament Phakgameng from Waterberg District represented the province at the SA Schools Shootout sponsored by Supersport on Friday16 – Saturday 17 march 2012. The matches are shown live on Supersport 4. On Friday30 – Saturday, 30 Benny’s Care sport development School from Vhembe will represent the province at the second part of the SA Schools Shootout in Benoni, Gauteng province. Winners proceed to play at the National Schools Leagues.
7.4.1 SA Schools Choral Eisteddfod
During the National South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) held in Pretoria, Lotsha School from Vhembe district obtained position 2 in the Intermediate Phase; Makgoka High school from Capricorn obtained position 2 in the African and National Anthem and Westenburg High obtained position 3 in the mezzo soprano.
7.4.2 Race and Values in Education (RAVE)
Our schools also participated in the following national competitions/activities
The four schools that represented the province at the Moot Court Competitions are: Solomon Mahlangu (Waterberg), Stanford Lake College (Independent), Tshweni (Mopani) and Thengwe (Vhembe). Thengwe High School from Vhembe District presented the best essay nationally, the National Inkosi Albert Luthuli Oral History competitions the province was represented by Gerson Ntjie from Capricorn District and Masemola High School from Sekhukhune District
7.5 SGBs and RCLs
Honourable Speaker, School Governing Bodies play a crucial role in the running of our schools given their legislative mandate. Importantly, they need cadres of advanced consciousness who will continue to fire the imaginations of our schooling community to work hard with honesty, integrity, high morality and enthusiasm to ensure that our schools remain and continue to be functional and productive centres of excellence.
The department is hard at work with the elections of School Governing Bodies which take place after a cycle of three years. Hopefully, honourable members, you have made yourselves available or participated in the process. These are governance organs of our schools. That is. Education Revolution Defence Committees
I would like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing SGB members who served our school with selflessness, love, care, dedication and commitment. The road we have travelled together since Warmbath meeting in 2009, made it possible for us today to celebrate the 15% Grade 12 improvements.
Wherever you are, walk with pride and dignity for the mark you have left. To the incoming SGBs, you are faced with a mammoth task of consolidating the gains we have made and never allow the standards in those schools to drop. Those who are taking over underperforming schools, you have to prove yourselves working together with our educators in those schools. However, we will be inducting them as new collectives by the end of April 2012. And will be trained in their roles and responsibilities for them to perform their functions in the next coming three years.
Equally Representative Councils of Learners are important structures that afford learners an opportunity to exercise the leadership responsibilities to ensure learners discipline, attendance and behaviour. They also have a huge role in our schools. We will continue to train them to build capacity.
Many learners who were occupying leadership responsibilities in these formations have passed and are at various Universities. I would like to in particular congratulate Shoky Masha who was the Provincial Chairperson of COSAS, who is doing her first year at Wits University. I hope many other learners will learn from you. Wish you well and many more of our former learners who are now students at Universities. Soldier on, the future is certain.
Given that education has been made a societal issue, I would like to call upon Churches, Faith Based Organisations, Traditional Leaders, Civic Structures, and Community Development Forums, Business Formations, Political Parties and Municipalities to take serious interest on matters of education. The power to improve the quality of education resides in all of us. Working together we can provide quality public education.
7.6 QLTC and Whole School Evaluation
We have launched Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign working together with teacher Unions, leaner formations and SGB’s as an expression to an agreement signed to collectively contribute to the education of our children. This team and the committees established are hard at work to observe, enforce and monitor implementation of non-negotiable, support and improve focus on governance and management of schools, monitor support offered to schools and ensure improvement of quality teaching and learning in schools.
Going forward, it would focus on quality implementation of the strategies and their impact thereof.
8. Human Resource Development
Honourable Speaker, in the last budget speech, I indicated our recognition of the essence of the foundation phase in the basic education schooling system. Two hundred and eighty two (282) educators who at WITS and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) universities are in their final year and next year, they will definitely come back and make valuable contribution in the foundation phase teaching which is the bedrock of future learning success of the child.
We are once again happy to announce that 366 school managers across the province are doing the final year of their two years course in Leadership Management and Development at Universities of Limpopo, Venda and Pretoria. Obviously we are expecting serious changes from them in their respective schools.
Furthermore 650 Pre-school or prospective educators are on different levels of study at different institutions of Higher learning. Through this interventions will alleviate shortfall we face in the provision of Maths and Science educators.
In the financial year 2012/13, we will fill the following posts:
- Principalship – 249
- Deputy Principal ship – 163
- HOD’s – 419
In the last budget speech we spoke about the delimitation of new districts of the department. Indeed that has been concluded and the acting district senior managers appointed are working wonderfully with their colleagues. We have however lost the acting district senior manager of the new Tzaneen District Mr Maake. May his soul rest in peace!
Honourable speaker, in responding to the shortage of skills for economic growth, we have gone miles, in this area and will be launching the Limpopo Learning Academy at Edupark in the first quarter. Secondly, we are going to pilot Management Development Programme in partnership with PALAMA and two universities in the province. This will provide public sector officials an opportunity to sharpen their skills and already eight (8) modules have been developed. This initiative is supported by German International Corporation.
In strengthening the Further Education and Training (FET) colleges, R536, 612 million has been allocated. In terms of artisans development for example, Rio Tinto working together with our HRD section has set a target of 600 artisans and this will be delivered through Mopani and Sir Val Duncan FET Colleges by 2014. Other Colleges are hard at work to multi-skill the students.
Furthermore, we are working with many partners in areas of mining, transport, maritime and aviation, agriculture and many other sectors to open opportunities for our learners so that, they could have a broad choice for their career paths.
I would like to call upon our partners in Human Resource Development to maximise their efforts in supporting our Human Resource Development Strategy. With the resource given to us, we will focus on the mentioned areas to build the capacity required.
9. Quality Assurance in Education
Honourable speaker, we will continue to build internal capacity for us to undertake regular assessments and research to track progress with regard to the impact of our Intervention Strategies. The findings of these researches help identify appropriate Interventions and inform subsequent of planning.
We will ensure credible outcomes focused planning and accountability by rolling out this coming financial year a focused programme that will strengthen monitoring capacity of the circuit in support of schools and enforce accountability.
Monitoring and evaluation will be strengthened to ensure that performance information on all predetermined objectives is verified against credible means of verification and will be enforced from school level through the provincial office.
10. Integrated School Health Programme
Given the fundamental human rights enshrined in our Constitution, we will work together with Health Department to provide the services required to ensure good health of our learners. In this regard the following will be done:
- Health Screening (Eyes, ears, teeth, TB)
- Extensive health education (Hygiene, HIV + AIDS, SRH. Drug abuse
- Have effective referral systems and parental involvement.
Together with the Department of Health, are looking at handling the issue of HIV testing within the legal framework. And in intensifying our work around Health programmes and in particular HIV and AIDS, we have allocated R29,942 million.
11. Infrastructure
Honourable speaker, the department continues to do the province proud with regard to Infrastructure delivery and spending. We have completed 1182 new classrooms, 494 specialist rooms, 830 classrooms have been renovated, 56 nutritional centers have been provided, 14 state of the art schools have been completed, 31 grade R projects completed, 8 schools under ELSEN programme benefitted in renovations, upgrades and additions, 92 schools have been provided with sanitation facilities, 81 schools have been provided with water, 55 thousand school furniture units delivered to 350 schools. More details in this programme will be given in the last quarter report.
For the financial year 2012/13 an amount of R 941 million has been allocated to infrastructure. And there is a decrease from the previous year. This has affected the project plan for this coming financial year.
And the money will be spent in the following programmes:
- Upgrades and additions
- Rehabilitation, renovation and refurbishment
- Maintenance and repairs
- Building new schools
We are however pleased that basic Education infrastructure is amongst the five major programmes which will be driven by the Presidential Infrastructure Commission. We hope that our province will also be a beneficiary to this massive infrastructure project.
12. Conclusions
Honourable speaker, when the sky is getting darker and foggy, the waves getting bigger and violent, landscape confusing and full of prickles, the environment and climate around us change and get misty and seem to be walking in the darkness before dawn. We should use our moral compass, and with ingenuity and excellence, inspire our people and ourselves, display our profound love for our work i.e. work with passion and discipline.
We need to show critical thinking which discerns an indivisible solidarity between us and the learner population of our Province. For us to reach unimaginable levels of performance, we need great personal sacrifices, and disbar laziness from our work stations.
Let me take this opportunity to seek words of wisdom from the Holy Book, Proverbs 13: verse 13, 14, 17 and 18. It reads as follows:
“People who despise advice are asking for trouble and those who respect a command will succeed”.
The instruction of the wise is like a life giving fountain and those who accept it avoid snares of death. If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace, and if you accept correction, you will be honoured. An unreliable messenger stumbles into trouble but a reliable and honest messenger brings healing and comfort.”
I would like to thank HOD Mr Morebudi Jackson Thamaga and your team for your contributions in putting this budget together. Beyond this day, a huge responsibility is placed on your shoulders. To the intervention team, thank you for your efforts and progress made thus far in stabilising our finances.
To our Honourable Minister Mme Angie Motshekga, many words of appreciation to your unwavering support, guidance and leadership you continue providing.
To the Honourable Premier, thank you very much for your continuous encouraging words, support and leadership that you are providing.
To everyone involved in education, the road ahead needs our collective focus and attention. And we are looking forward to your support. To my family, relatives and comrades, million words of thanks indeed, for without your support, I would not have endured and pulled the yoke this far. Together we will turn mountains into hills, and hills into hillocks, prickles on the way will not pierce into our feet, but will walk over them.
Honourable Speaker, with the budget appropriated to us, we shall serve our people with integrity, honesty, commitment and hard work. The hunter in pursuit of an elephant does not stop to throw the stones at birds. Excellence is what we strive for. I am therefore presenting a budget amounting to R22 124 643,486 billion for the financial year 2012/13.
Thank you.
Baie dankie.
Re leboga.
Hi khensile.
Ri a livhuwa.
