Mr AM Mpontshane (Inkatha Freedom Party) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether the government's policy which aims at increasing the number of matric learners who are eligible for university admission will also involve dealing with the shortcomings and issues within the education system; if not, why not; if so, (a) what related issues and shortcomings have been identified and (b) when will she address such factors?
Reply:
The government's priority is to improve the quality of learning and teaching in schools in order to ensure learning achievement. Increasing the number of matric learners who are eligible for university is one of the output goals that we have set ourselves to achieve.
The Schooling 2025 Plan for the improvement of basic education indicates the areas that will be given priority to address to ensure that we achieve these goals.
(a) The training and support for teachers, strengthening curriculum implementation in class through quality teaching and learning, providing textbooks and learning support materials, addressing infrastructure needs, catering for learner well being, improving school governance and management and improved districts support of schools have been prioritised to drive the process towards quality outcomes.
(b) The process of addressing shortcomings in the education system has already begun. The strengthening of curriculum implementation in schools started with the announcements of the national curriculum statement implementation review report. In October 2009, I announced the decisions to ensure that the administrative burden on teachers will be reduced in 2010 so that they can focus attention on teaching.
Additional support for national curriculum statement implementation will be provided on an ongoing basis, based on the evidence of needs that are identified. The Schooling 2025 plan will further outline the plans that we have put towards addressing these matters in a coherent, coordinated and sustainable and expedient manner.
Source: Department of Education
