budget speech by MEC Dickson Masemola

Honourable Speaker; Rudolf Phala,
Honourable Premier,Cassel Mathale
Honuorable Deputy Speaker; Mme Joyce Mashamba,
Members of the Provincial Legislature,
Members of the Executive Council,
Chairperson of Education Portfolio Committee; Hon. Joyce Maluleka,
Executive Mayors and Mayors of Local Municipalities,
Director General; Mme Rachel Molepo-Modipa,
Heads of Departments and CEOs of State owned Enterprises
Veterans of our Struggle,
Leadership of the ANC led by Cde. Phil Mdaka and Cde. Joy Matshoge
Leadership of SACP, MKMVA, SANCO
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,
The Administrator, Mr Mzwandile Matthews,
School Principals and Chairpersons of SGBs present,
Leadership of Teacher Unions, COSATU and other Unions,
Representatives of youth structures and women structures,
Leaders of COSAS and SASCO
Our Donor Partners
Leadership of Faith Based formations,
Leadership of business,
Members of the media,
Comrades,
Ladies and gentlemen
Fellow South Africans

Good day, thobela, xewani, lotshani, ndi masiari, dumelang, goeiedag.

1. Introduction

Honourable Speaker, I am presenting the budget today, warmed in our hearts by an unthinkable certainty which gives us courage, that our glorious struggle for freedom and democracy has fundamentally introduced a transformation agenda, crucial to carry revolutionary events in the development of the country and the Nation. Mindful of the impact made by the democratic forces in deepening the system of popular governance mandated by the masses of our country and the Province in particular.

Appreciating progress made in the regaining of our historical personality as a people, noting the triumph of our struggle and its historical magnitude and the acquired consciousness of our people which makes them sensitive to the slightest deviation.

Indeed happy on the primacy of leadership provided by the African National Congress, that it has assumed tremendous importance in the life of the Nation and society in general.

Faithful to the principles and the cause of the revolution is our commitment to the fundamental orientation of the society, articulated by the Freedom Charter. As actions evolve and trends of development are revealed, boundless creative power of the people help us to take our bearings and provide solutions to societal problems.

Indeed the Freedom Charter calls on us to create education and training system that will ensure the human resources and potential in our society are developed to the full and attend to the effects of the apartheid education on the socio economic development of the country.

The government of the African National Congress indeed serves and values, the freedom and democracy of its people and treasure the empowering and educative role of ideas and information, and has committed itself to provide for the cultural, educational, social and economic and technological development of the people through quality education.

We are committed to improve the education system, given the historical realities of fragmented unequal and undemocratic nature of education system under apartheid.

The resultant effects of that being the collapse of education culture in large parts of the country, troubled institutions of learning and teaching, challenged conditions of employment with teachers receiving uncompetitive salaries, which have affected their morale, where real work of knowledge production was distorted with curriculum content irrelevant to the creation of brain power required for maximum development and growth of our country.

Our political democracy should significantly contribute to the reconstruction of the education system for it to continue playing an immense role towards creation of democratic society characterised by success and prosperity.

In advancing this course, President Jacob Zuma declared education as National apex project efforts, fully understanding that education and training stimulates potential in students and learners, thereby forming the fundamental basis for societal development. This calls on us to forge a coherent approach and continue to mobilise motive forces of our revolution to advance an agenda that would ensure quality classroom practice for good performance and outstanding results.

The President expects us to make a significant contribution to the National Culture in schools, to live the basics and ensure that proper work gets done. Furthermore, we are called upon to sharpen and produce Cadres of advanced consciousness, who would legitimately understand the centrality of education in changing the course of events, for the Nation to be competitive with other Nations of the World.

Importantly, we should continue to rekindle our consciousness and truly pursue this National agenda based on values and principles, that we believe are fundamental and imperative, and engage everyone in the province in the social dialogue regarding education of our children and eschew intentions aimed at detouring us from the main focus.

Honourable Speaker, in any situation in the course of efforts, because of our inhomogeneous and non-simultaneous perspectives, imponderable consequences do at time exist. It happens if the determination in the line of duty is unalterable and characterised by spontaneous verbosity, struggling to emerge from the shadow of formula and longing for collective excellence, struggling to acquire full substance and unimpressed with methods at the height of conscious efforts. We are however, given the experiences of the last fifteen months, are becoming an instrument of high technical capacity, solid ideological structure completely equipped to advance the course of progress and acquired magnificent capacity and strength, to carry forward a useful agenda of education transformation in the interest of the learner population of our province.

These would be done with revolutionary discipline, high morale 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 and ensure its longevity and durability.

2. Budget Trends

Hon, Speaker, the budget I am presenting today would largely enable us to respond to the pressures we have had and priorities that the department has developed. In this budget, we have fully budgeted for the compensation of employees which has been the main challenge that created difficulties which we have to deal with over a period of time.

The total budget for 2013/14 financial year is R23,475 billion. This is an increase of 2, 58% on the adjusted budget from the previous financial year. The budget is funded by R21 billion or 89,62% from the equitable share allocation, R2,391 billion or 10,19% from conditional grants and R 44, 612 million or 0, 19% from the Department’s own receipts.

The budget will increase by 6,28% to R24,950 billion in 2014/15 and by 7,24 % to R26,757 billion for the financial year 2015/16. In the previous two financial years, the objective in drafting this budget was to ensure that Compensation of Employees (CoE) was fully funded. This financial year in order to meet this objective, R19,315 billion is allocated to Compensation of Employees (CoE) with R17,138 billion or 87% of this, being for Programme Two, which is mainly for the payment of 57 321 educators. R1,121 billion or 5,69% of the total Compensation of Employees budget is allocated to Programme One, and is mainly for the payment of the support staff, whose number for the 2013/14 financial year, total 3 474. In total, the Compensation of Employees accounts for 82% of the total budget.

An amount of R2,172 billion of the budget is allocated for Goods and Services, and this accounts for 9, 0% of the total budget. Transfers and Subsidies are allocated R1,058 billion and R928 million for payment of Capital Assets. R1,335 billion is allocated to the Administration which falls under Programme One.

This is the Branch that is responsible for overall management of and support to the education system. R279 million has been provided to Corporate Services, which incorporates the HOD’s office, Human Resources Management and Financial Management to make sure that they discharge their responsibilities without failure.

An additional amount of R967 million has been allocated for Education Management to support the 10 districts of the department, mindful that five of them are still being established and to fund the activities of the curriculum advisors. R48,480 million is allocated, mostly for the payment of bursaries for educators and trainee educators.

This is a dedicated programme to assist the department in addressing the shortage of educators in Mathematics, Physical Science, Technology and Accounting.

A further R29,983 million is allocated to the Education Management Information System (EMIS) sub-Branch, to ensure that credible data required for planning and budgeting is maintained. Part of it is meant to ensure that all the schools fully utilise the South African Schools Administration Management Systems (SA SAMS) as well as the Learner Unit Records Information Tracking Systems (LURITS).

This is intended to ensure the reliability and replicability of the data used for planning, funding and resourcing in general. We are committed to continue on improving the planning, monitoring and evaluation, quality assure the effectiveness of the entire system at all times.

3. Strategic goals

Hon Speaker, the National Planning Commission and the Growth Path, beckons on us to in pursuit of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, should aggressively work hard to destroy the remnants of apartheid education and advance an ideological revolution which continues to introduce into society new values, new content to education and culture. And certainly locate education at the centre of growth and development of the Nation.

The following are the strategic goals the department has set to focus education stakeholders in order to provide quality education to our people to mention but a few:

• Transformation of Education Institution and Public Special Schools into accessible, functional and quality centres of teaching and learning;
• Facilitation and promotion of access to education;
• Redressing of illiteracy in Adult learners;
• Build a firm foundation for further learning;
• Provision of education services including examinations and Maths, Science and Technology Programmes;
• Encourage parents and communities to take active part in education of their children; and
• Mobilise stakeholders and partnerships.

Above them all, we should note that globally in education we are guided by the following six Millennium Development Goals, which constitute broader programme areas around which nations of the world are mobilised:

• Early childhood care and education
• Universal access to primary or basic education
• Youth and adult learning
• Literacy
• Gender
• Quality

This budget therefore, attempts to address the above-mentioned areas of significance to education transformation.

Education planning

The budget appropriated today will enable the department to undertake regular assessment to track progress through Monitoring and Evaluation. The plans are informed by Education Plan 2025 with clear and credible outcomes, focused planning and accountability, probable anticipated progress in CAPS implementation i.e. curriculum and assessment policy statement. Through Circuit self-evaluation programmes enforce accountability, address pedagogical imperatives and curriculum content across all grades.

4. Financial administration and management

The budget I am presenting here today constitutes 51% of the Total Provincial budget, and therefore, we fully understand the mandate and responsibility placed on us to ensure its proper use in the interest of education of the children of the working class and the poor. We are hard at work to perfect our finance systems and provide the required administrative capacity and leadership. And as such working together with National Treasury, Price Waterhouse Coopers has been appointed to provide skills and support on critical areas of financial management.

The Auditor-General highlighted critical areas which require requisite skills to attend to and improve on the opinions. Clearly the department has no option except to make sure that the Action Plan addresses those identified areas informed by the objectives of the Clean Audit, the HOD, the Administrator and the CFO are at the centre of the strategy implementation.

5. Curriculum Support Services

Hon Speaker, curriculum delivery constitutes the primary responsibility of this Department. As such, the strategies and plans that we have developed remain our frameworks and guidelines through which the entire system is focused on to ensure functional and productive system. To date we have succeeded to improve on the following areas of our education management:

• Time on task;
• Teacher and learner attendance;
• Content delivery and method approach;
• Improvement on classroom culture;
• Quality classroom practice;
• Completion of curriculum in time;
• Provision of leadership by school Principals and management teams;
• Extra efforts in helping learners; and
• Sufficient work is given to our learners in schools to ensure their cognitive development.

Last year in this area I said, District and Circuit Officials would intensify on-site monitoring to ensure quality teaching and learning, and turn almost all our schools into centres of excellence. Indeed, there is a greater improvement on teachers and Learner’s attendance, class period control, quality support and monitoring, effective monitoring on the utilization of the instruments of accountability.

5.1 Grade 12 Performance

Hon, Speaker, the above mentioned improvements brought serious systems improvement evidenced by the gradual improvement of the matric results since 2009 to date. Like I said, this is as a result of the impact made in implementing the education turnaround strategy. The fact that we have improved the results from 48, 9% in 2009, 57.9% in 2010, and 63.9% in 2011 to 66.9% in 2012 is a clear indication that our interventions and collective leadership provided by education stakeholders have set the province for greater performance. I would like to thank all of them for their sterling if not splendid work they continue to do for our schools.

This academic year, we have set ourselves a target of 75%, which we are confident that it will be achieved. So far, we have long concluded the analysis of the Grade 12 results and have a clear picture of our Districts, Circuits, Schools and Subjects performance. We are about to conclude consultations with all our schools in sharing the information referred to above. We are well aware of what needs to be done and which areas to focus on. Ours is to double the efforts and indeed reach the pinnacle of academic excellence.

I want to remind my Comrades and Colleagues in the sector, that National underperformance is regarded as any performance below 60%. Which means performance in respect of subjects, circuits, districts and province which is below the percentage mentioned is underperforming. In 2011 we had one District namely Waterberg, which performed below the National norm of sixty percent. In 2012 it has joined the other four Districts and performed at 60.1%.

I am happy to announce the three year performance of our Districts, which is of historical significance given the progress made:

District	2010	2011	2012
Vhembe	63.1%	70.3%	76.8%
Capricorn	64.4%	66.8%	66.0%
Sekhukhune	52.5%	60.8%	63.0%
Mopani	51.9%	60.1%	63.2%
Waterberg	49.9%	55.1%	60.1%

This is an indication that academic actions taken to remedy dysfunction have themselves precipitated change evidenced by erosion of chains of unpredictability with severe consequences. We have refused to get enmeshed in contradictions too vast and complex for easy adjustment. However, in advancing education revolution, we have taken into consideration broad perspective which takes into account the primacy of interacting forces of change with external stimuli as a powerful factor of out revolution.

Our educators in this regard are not only social activists but they are also required to sharpen their analysis to guide actions in determining the outcomes. Of which given the above mentioned performance, we should congratulate and appreciate their efforts and commitment.

Hon Speaker, our 2012 matric class made us proud given the recognition and awards presented by Minister Angie Motshekga, that even today the name of Mmadikgetho Komane, who was the special guest of the President at the SONA (State of the Nation Address) reverberates in our ears and it will stay for many years to come. I would like to once again congratulate the schools which got 100 percent pass rate and acknowledge their presence here today.

• Hoerskool Pietersburg
• Hoerskool Warmbad
• Waterberg High
• Pax High

Furthermore, I would also like to acknowledge twenty one other schools that obtained 100% but presented less than fifty learners. The Principals and SGB Chairpersons of these schools are here with us today. Job well done.

Nels F.S Ferre said,”the educator becomes God’s mind at work to help grow the best possible plants in God’s garden. He exists to prepare the soil, to sow the good seed, to weed, to water and to harvest.” That is why great teachers are not measured in terms of years they have spent in the profession, but by the number of students who have surpassed them.

5.2 Annual National Assessment

Hon Speaker, the introduction of the Annual National Assessment was a giant step in the education transformation of our country to reinforce the new thinking and destroy the remnants of apartheid education. It is a fundamental change brought about to be carried through in the main sphere of our education system.

This is meant to create a strong base for the Basic Education with a social purpose. It is a correct path within the realm of objective possibilities championed through a coherent mind power, with singleness of purpose to ensure performance of the system.

This standardised assessment have been administered and the total number of 956 269 learners wrote in our Province in Grade 1-6 and Grade 9. Though our learners have improved their performance, more work still needs to be done. A detailed analysis has been finalised and will be shared with Primary school Principals and their SGBs and other key stakeholders.

5.3 Mathematics and Physical Science

Hon Speaker, during the announcement of Grade 12 results I said that as a Province, we have registered and presented a huge number of learners who wrote and passed in Maths, Science and Technology. As such it is important to note that we are a province of excellence in terms of performance in those subjects. Our schools both Dinaledi and Non Dinaledi have done very well. I would like to take this opportunity once more to congratulate them and call upon all our schools this academic year to double their efforts. Because undoubtedly this clearly demonstrate the strength of our province and gives us an accurate evidence of the progress we are making in declaring this Province the home of Maths and Science, not by a word of mouth, but by performance demonstrated. To further build capacity, MASTEC and its satellite centres envisage training 240 teachers in mathematics, physical science, technology and further do work in accounting and economics, languages on other centres of continuous Professional Development.

The Dinaledi schools have been allocated R11, 340 million. This is aimed at intensifying our work in Mathematics and Physical Science evidenced by good performance of these schools compared to the same schools from other provinces.

This contributed greatly to the Department having the greatest number of learners sitting for Mathematics and Science in the whole country during the 2012 Grade12 examinations. We are very happy as a Province to be a major contributor to the National Skills development Programme, given the number of learners we are passing every year.

To further strengthen curriculum work in our schools, we have technical secondary schools that are expected to provide skills to our learners. We have allocated R29,859 million for this financial year to be used to build or renovate workshops and provide equipment required at these schools for academic work.

5.4 Teacher Development

Hon Speaker, training and capacity building of educators is fundamental to ensure success of the system. Mindful of the fact that processes of curriculum transformation and reform, resulted in the introduction of Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which requires training for teachers to implement with ease.

During the 2012/13 financial year, 25 740 Intermediate Phase educators were trained in CAPS. In addition 7 240 school management teams, which are Principals, Deputy Principals and Heads of Department (Subject Specialists), were given focused training so that they would be able to manage the implementation of CAPS.

The 2013/14 financial year, will be the last year for the roll out of the curriculum and assessment policy statement(CAPS) for this purpose, an amount of R17,204 million has been provided for the training of educators for Grades 7, 8, 9 and 12.

Continuous professional development for educators will continue in the centres designed for various curriculum activities to strengthen the pedagogical basis of our educators. Intervention study guides in mathematics, physical sciences and commercial subjects have been designed, developed and distributed to the Districts for further work to be done. Understandably curriculum stability will have a positive impact on teacher development and clearly challenges relating to workshops will be resolved as teachers will become experts in their own subjects.

5.5 Inclusive Education and Special Schools

Hon Speaker, last year I reminded this house about the challenges that confront this sector of our education system. I highlighted the need to offer both quality education and support to learners with diversified physical conditions. Last year we undertook to intensify inclusive education advocacy campaigns and have indeed orientated key stakeholders and social partners. To this end we have set aside R13 million in the 2013/14 financial year to ensure that our public ordinary schools are able to accommodate learners abled differently.

This financial year, we will conclude a process of designating and converting mainstream schools into inclusive and full service schools in line with the objectives and goals of schooling 2025 as informed by the Education Plan. We have allocated R326,732 million to Public Special Schools for them to be able to perform their duties so that they too through invariability should produce the desired results and improve from where they are into centres of excellence.

Through our infrastructure programme we will respond to some of the challenges that they face.

6. Early Childhood Development

Hon Speaker, the report of Stats SA particularly on Limpopo with regard to ECD (Early Childhood Development), shows that there are many children who are not attached to any centres of learning. This poses serious challenges in the cognitive development of a child. Last year I said in this House that, the number of learners we have in our ECD centres are said to be 15% of those who are supposed to be attending. Clearly it means more work needs to be done. Working together with the Department of Social Development, we will have to intensify the campaign to have children registered at these centres. Part of what will have to be considered would be to ensure that every parent account for his or her child, whether they are at home or attached to any of our ECD centres. A policy will be finalised that will ensure that, as they receive their grants, they should also account for their whereabouts relating to their education.

In producing Practitioners for these centres, to date since 2009, we have trained almost 4 000 Practitioners on curriculum from 0 to 4 years. We have allocated R12 157, 417 million to further the programme. The triple challenges facing the society that should be addressed can only be fully resolved through education. Indeed we should ensure that children have access to education and develop intellectually to enable them to live a meaningful life in their future. We should ensure dual access to education by the children of this Province i.e. Physical and Epistemological.

7. Further Education and Training (FET)

Hon Speaker, post schooling education is important to develop the skills needed for socio economic development of the country. Thereby preparing the youth to advance the development plan and strategies developed, hence the importance of FET colleges for skills revolution. An amount of R375,709 million has been made available for the financial year 2013/14 for them to perform their functions under the supervision of the National Department of Higher Education and Training working together with us. Indeed policy matters around curriculum and governance in this sector are receiving attention to strengthen the system.

8. Adult Education and Training (AET)

Hon Speaker, part of our elections manifesto is to eradicate adult illiteracy and create opportunities for adult learning. Adult Education and Training which was previously known as ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) is a key programme which continues to enjoy our collective attention. It should be noted that during the 2012/13 financial year, 200 Practitioners were trained on problematic learning areas and the administration of Continuous Assessment (CASS) and 150 newly appointed Practitioners were inducted in order to ensure proper curriculum delivery.

In 2013/14, 200 Practitioners will be further trained and 200 other Practitioners will be orientated. As such, R146,267 million has been allocated for the programme.

We will continue to work with community stakeholders to make this programme a success.

9. Scholar Transport

Hon Speaker, scholar transport is an important service which the department provides to enable many learners to access learning facilities. At the moment, the beneficiaries in this programme are learners from Grade R to 12, who travel 5km or more kilometres to school and must be attending public ordinary schools. It is also important to note that parents and learners who choose schools that are far away from their places of residence, leaving schools that are in their proximities are not covered by this scheme. This matter should be understood because we do have many situations where such challenges do exist and there are expectations.

We have budgeted R142,710 million for scholar transport in this financial year. The main objective of this programme is to protect the right of learners to access education as entrenched in the Constitution of the country. It has improved learners’ performance and attendance, thus promoting quality teaching and learning in our schools. 22 500 learners will benefit in this regard.

Together with the Department of Roads and Transport, we continue to assess the roadworthiness of the vehicles transporting learners to schools, because safety of our learners is of paramount importance. To those who provide private service, should not take chances with un-roadworthy vehicles and should know if found the Law will take its course. And I would call upon parents of those learners to be vigilant and report any case of dissatisfaction.

10. Integrated School Health Programme

Hon Speaker, the improvement of the general health of school going children as well as the environmental conditions in schools and address health barriers to learning is one of the fundamental goals we strive for. We will continue to work with the Department of Health to ensure good health of our learners. In this regard ensure health screening of learners: Nutritional status, Vision, Psychosocial screening, ears, Teeth, TB. All what the policy dictate including on site services.

We have allocated R31,085 million for HIV/AIDS life skills education in our schools to intensify our efforts in fighting the scourge. This will go a long way in empowering our learners and educators with skills and knowledge, so that we can have learning sites that are not challenged by this epidemic and thereby contributing to the health environment free from this challenge.

11. Norms and Standards

Hon Speaker, the goals of educational reconstruction towards equity and improvement of the quality of schooling, continually seek government to deliver education services to more productive programmes of education management and stimulate effective deployment of private and non-governmental resources for education to deliver the desired results. Government is expected to finance educational institutions and programmes soundly, fairly and cost effectively.

Planning and delivery of education, policy coordination, budgetary processes, administrative controls and decision making processes have important roles to play in reducing costs and improve efficiency in education management and therefore, education sites are critical to the delivery of curriculum and service the communities.

We have long taken a policy decision to provide free education and hence the NO FEE schools policy implementation, which has so far benefitted almost all our schools that qualify for this policy.

This financial year 2013/14, the Norms and Standards have received an amount of R1,239 billion for the funding of Public Ordinary Schools. Of this amount, R619,690 million is for the running costs in schools which translate into an increase of 25% of the amount that was allocated for 2012/13.

It must be reiterated that the Norms and Standards funding to schools provide for the procurement and delivery of Learner Teacher Support Materials (LTSM), as well as the per capita subsidies or transfer to schools for running costs.

As in the previous years, the funding of public ordinary schools is determined per learner according to the quintile in which the school falls.

The table below indicates this year’s allocation per learner:

Quintile	2012/13	2013/14
1	R330	R403
2	R298	R369
3	R298	R369
4	R106	R200
5	R40	R68

Honourable Speaker, it is important to note that for the 2014 School Calendar year the CAPS will be implemented in Grade 7, 8, 9 and 12, after the staggered implementation in Grade 1, 2, 3 and 10 in the 2012 School Calendar year and Grades 4, 5, 6 and 11 in the 2013 School Calendar year.

In the main, the balance of what remains after allocating the running costs transfers will be used for 2014 School Calendar, for full coverage pertaining the supply of Stationery for Grades R to 12 and textbooks in Grades 7, 8, 9 and 12 in which CAPS will be introduced for the first time in 2014. In the subsequent years the costs for LTSM will reduce substantially as the focus will be on top-ups for all Grades.

Despite the shortfalls that are there, we chose to be innovative than lamenting and clearly the funding for the running costs will stabilize after the full implementation of CAPs and as much focus thereafter will be in the monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum.

In the previous years, the model of transfers of money to schools have had its own challenges. And for this financial year, the Schools will receive their full allocations based on their budgets so that they could meet their academic obligations. However equally important, accountability and adherence to the laws and prescripts will be enforced. Any deviations were school principals will be found shall take responsibility without any excuse to the law.

Furthermore R106 million has been allocated for transfers to independent schools for the financial year 2013/2014. We will continue to monitor the performance of these Schools, to make sure they too, should perform beyond our expectation and 15 contribute to the overall betterment of education of our learners in the province.

Those that are unable to convince us with regard to their performance will have to indicate why they should exist whereas they cannot proof otherwise.

12. National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)

Honourable speaker, the main objective of the National School Nutrition Programme is to provide nutritious meal to learners and alleviate short term hunger during Schooling hours. It contributes towards the promotion of unqualified access to education by improving punctuality, school attendance, improvement of concentration and the learners general health.

In the coming financial year 1, 6 million learners from public ordinary schools will benefit from the programme; and in addition, 8 246 learners in special schools will benefit from this programme.

During the 2013/14 financial year, 50 Primary and Secondary Schools (27 and 23 respectively) will be participating in a pilot project through which the feeding model will be through direct transfer of funds to participating Schools. Over and above that, supplementing this process will be direct transfer of funds to Schools to pay the honoraria of volunteer food handlers and purchase of cooking fuel. However Schools will be under obligation to open special accounts for this purpose and these accounts will be strictly monitored for compliance.

We have appointed 10 269 volunteer food handlers, 750 School based monitors funded through the Expanded Public Works Programme, 136 Accounting Clerks have been assigned among others to monitor NSNP in the 134 Education Circuits and capacity at Head Office has been increased to handle this programme.

For the period under review, 311 Small Medium and Micro Enterprises have been procured to provide the service. We have ensured Broad Based Participation from a limited number that previously handled the programme. In the next few days to come, we will be re-advertising the tender since the running contracts will be expiring by June this year.

In 2012/13 financial year, the programme did receive some awards in terms of its performance:

• Rethusitswe Primary School in Mopani obtained position 3 in the Minister Awards
• Vhembe District obtained position 1 in the National Kamoso Awards as the Best NSNP implementers
• The province obtained position 1 in excellent Award as the best Programme Implementers

We have also terminated service providers who did not comply in providing services to our Schools. Indeed we will not accept any poor performance and noncompliance to the set Standards. And for this financial year we have allocated R932 050 million for this programme to continue feeding our learners.

13. Infrastructure

Hon. Speaker, Infrastructure provision remains one of the key functions in providing facilities for quality public education for our communities. This year, an amount of R997 588 million has been allocated for infrastructure provision. The Department has engaged the services of Mvula Trust, CSIR and LIBSA to implement water and sanitation projects. A number of 222 schools will be provided with water supply and 144 schools will be supplied with sanitation facilities. The Independent Development Trust i.e. IDT and the Department of Public Works will implement schools building projects. 510 additional classrooms and 140 specialists’ rooms will be provided throughout the Province.

This year like other previous year, we will be opening many schools that have been completed in many parts of the province. Furthermore with regard to school furniture, R30 million which was allocated for 2012/13 has been used to procure furniture for schools, which are being delivered.

This financial year 2013/14, R45 million has been allocated for the supply of school furniture. We will work hard to ensure that furniture is supplied to our schools given the need that is out there and also support school furniture manufactures based in our province for them to supply our schools.

14. Auxiliary Services

Honourable Speaker, every academic year the through put rate account for good work of our education institutions in the province. This is also evidenced by the impressive track record of presenting incident-free examinations. Administration of examination is the critical operation which we cannot afford to falter. We have allocated R 255, 097 million for this purpose. Equally I would like to thank the South African Public Police Services for the support and partnership with us in running the examination. Indeed your support colleague is valuable. Thank you Police Commissioner, General Mbembhe for your unparalleled support.

15. School Governing Bodies and Representative Councils of Learners

Honourable Speaker, in the course of development, School Governing Bodies have been regarded as organs of highly conscious social activist with a purpose of maintaining focus of school communities for proper management and stakeholders involvement on matters of education. This has increasingly positioned them to work hard with honesty, integrity and enthusiasm to ensure that our schools remain and continue to be functional and productive centres of knowledge production and excellence.

I would like to invite the elected SGBs to work with us and sustain progress made thus far and improve our performance as a sector. I would like you to blaze up the fire of Education revolution and decisively sustain the acquired firm posture and strength. Because daily circumstances are supplying us with favourable opportunities to fan up a broad front in ensuring societal improvement.

Equally, Representative Councils of Learners are important structures that afford learners an opportunity to exercise leadership responsibilities to ensure learners disciple, attendance and behaviour and contribute in the running of schools.

Importantly we will continue to train both, so that the necessary capacity is built by also familiarizing them with Education Legislations and other related Policies. Given the mandate bestowed upon community structures by the President, on matters of Education, I would like to call upon Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organizations and Municipalities to leave up to the challenge because the capacity for tremendous improvement does not only reside in the Departmental Systems but also in our collective efforts and endeavours.

16. Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC)

Honourable Speaker, Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign was launched in the province working together with the teacher Unions, Learners formations and School Governing Bodies as an important programme to contribute to the education of our children. A team was established in the department with a primary mandate to work with schools and monitor implementation of education programmes, supports schools and attend to challenges on sites and contribute in the improvement of quality teaching and learning. Given its impact thereof, we will continue to make sure that the Unit exist and perform its functions accordingly to the National Policy. It will continue to get our support and the capacity required to fulfill its mandate.

17. Human Resource Management and Development

Honourable Speaker, we have stabilised our HR Portfolio in that the process of teacher provisioning is handled very well such that working together with our social partners have managed to move teachers to where they are needed.

We are finalising the filling of 529 principal posts, 218 deputy principals, 686 HOD’s, 24 circuit manager’s posts. We have addressed the issue of excess educators from 2 544 and now are left with less than 200. We have absorbed temporary educators who are in substantive posts and have reduced them from 3 077 and are now left with 648. Mindful that by September, we should release new posts establishment, hopefully we would have finalised this outstanding number.

Last year, I indicated that 282 teachers on the full time Bachelor of Education

Degree in Foundation Phase will be completing. 136 of them completed in December 2012; and 139 are to complete in June 2013. Out of 235 Principals, who are on ACE Leadership, 50 will be graduating today, the 09th of April 2013 at the University of Pretoria; and 183 are awaiting graduation at University of Venda and University of Limpopo. This achievement will go a long way in strengthening leadership and management required in our schools.

18. National Teachers Awards

Honourable Speaker, in the 2011 academic year, we have celebrated great achievements by some of our educators who won prestigious National Teachers Awards. Again this year our educators performed beyond our expectations at the 2012 National Teachers Awards.

Mrs Karin Adlein of Pietersburg English Medium, Primary School in Capricorn District obtained position 1 in the category: Excellence in Grade R Teaching.

The department obtained position two in the category of: Excellence in Primary School Teaching – Mr Morowane Sam Makgopeng of Makopi Secondary School in Sekhukhune District.

We further obtained position 3 in the following categories:

• Excellence in Primary School teaching: Ms Lekalakala Mabone Dorothy of Toronto Primary School in the Capricorn District where Mr Mmipe George Mokgehle who scoped the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award comes from.
• Excellence in the Secondary school Leadership: Ms Neluvhalo Tintswalo Grace of Tshiawela Secondary School in Vhembe District.
• Kader Asmal Award: Mr Matsapola Moloko Knox of Dendron High School in Capricorn District.

As we all know that 2012 academic year was not an easy year for us, and despite that over and above the great performance of the Grade 12 Class, these great sons and daughters of our province remain sources of inspiration and strength to all of us.

We are indebted to you for answering the call of destiny to move to higher levels of achievement in whatever you do. You make us proud and keep up the good work.

19. Application of Section 100

Honourable Speaker, the application of Section 100 in the province has also placed the department under the provisions of the said section. Working together with the incumbent Administrator Mr Mzwandile Matthews and our Minister, Mme Angie Motshekga, I am happy to report to this house that sustainable solutions have been found just to mention progress:

• We have stabilized the budget of the department by stabilising compensation of Employees Budget.
• We have procured and delivered LTSM aligned to CAPS to schools for the 2012 and 2013 Calendar years.
• We are finalizing LTSM procurement and delivery strategy that would address LTSM related issues linked to the central procurement process for timeous supply of textbooks per subject per Grade.
• The permanent absorption of temporary educators in profiled vacant substantive posts (in terms of the collective agreement no 1 of 2012) is progressing very well.
• Approppriately qualified and experienced educators have been and continue to be appointed in the vacant promotional posts.
• The organisational structure is currently under review to re-align the functions
• We are working hard to stabilize the Norms and Standards funding with the increase allocated this financial year.
• We have cleaned the Persal transversal system, working with Department of Public Service and Administration.
• National Treasury has assigned STATS-SA a project of doing a physical head count of learners and educators.
• We are Integrating and customizing EMIS, i.e. the Education Information Management System with the SA-SAMS, i.e. the South African Schools Administration and Management System, and LURITS, i.e. the Learner Units Record Information Tracking System and Business Intelligence(BI)

Through these processes, we are perfecting our systems for planning, budgeting and resourcing.

• Price Waterhouse Coopers have been assigned to assist in areas of supply chain, Assets and Finances.
• We are building an Internal Infrastructure Capacity.
• The 2013/2014 User Asset Management Plan, i.e. U-AMP, the 2013/2014 Infrastructure Project Management Plan, i.e., the IPMP and the Project lists have been approved and forwarded to implementing agents. I can confidently say that we have collectively recorded a great improvement and progress in this regard.

20. Conclusion

Hon Speaker, we will continue to be guided by the Education Plan 2025, developed to direct the country and education sector in particular. We will bond the people and their government through active relations of support and engagements. We will strive continuously to locate every effort into the magnetic field of unity because elsewhere they will be weak with less impact on this National agenda of progressive transformation of human potential through education into a force required in the country for the necessary socio economic political work.

Comrades and colleagues, for us to reach unimaginable levels of progress and performance, we need great personal sacrifices and disbar laziness from our work stations. We should with ingenuity and vigour inspire our people and be driven by our inner moral compass, display our profound love for our work i.e. work with passion, integrity and discipline.

Let me take this opportunity to seek words of wisdom from the holy book, James chapter 3 verse 13-17, “ if you are wise and understand God’s way, prove it by living an honourable life, doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying, for jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly and troublesome. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom form above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere”

I would like to thank the Head of Department, Mr Morebudi Jackson Thamaga and your management team for the resilience and courage with which you have soldiered on hitherto. The resolute and respectful character you have demonstrated, resonate with the resounding academic progress made; this day is a respite to yourselves and beyond it, a huge responsibility is placed on your shoulders.

To the Administrator, Mr Mzwandile Matthews, your efforts and commitment to your work made it possible for us to make progress registered in stabilising the Department. Your support and focus enables our collective efforts in sharpening and perfecting the systems. Your ability to carry everyone along has infused commitment and focus. Keep up the good work.

To our Minister, Mme Angie Motshekga, thank you very much for your support, guidance and leadership. It is always exciting and inspiring to interact with you, as you steer the system forward. We have travelled this far because of you.

To the Hon Premier, thank you very much for the support and leadership you are providing. Your continuous encouraging words inspire confidence which translates into hard work and commitment. We are almost at the pinnacle of academic excellence because of your support.

To my colleagues in the Executive Council, thank you for your support and interest you have demonstrated on matters of education. Your support to our schools is also much appreciated. Keep it up.

To all our key stakeholders, thank you for your support in whatever kind you  display.

To the teacher unions, thank you comrades and colleagues for your collective efforts and endeavours in ensuring performance of the system. The road ahead needs our collective focus and attention.

To my family, relatives and comrades, million words of thanks for indeed without your support, I wouldn’t have endured and soldiered on this far. Your valuable support is much appreciated.

Together we will turn mountains into hills and hills into hillocks, we will turn rivers into rivulets and rivulets into streams, prickles on the way will not pierce into our feet, but we will walk over them.

Hon Speaker, we shall serve our people with integrity, honesty and commitment given the budget appropriated to us. I am therefore presenting a budget for the financial year 2013/14 amounting to R23, 475 billion for consideration and approval by this House. The details of this budget and the itemised statutory programmes appear in the Tables provided.

Thank you.
Baie Dankie.
Re a Leboga.
Hi Khensile.
Ri e Livhuwa.
Siyathokoza.