Honourable Acting Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Members
Acting DG – Ntate Ralikontsane
Free State Department of Education HOD – Ntate Malope
Heads of other Departments
Union representatives
Our social partners
Principals, parents, teachers and learners
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen.
In an article published in the Sunday Times dated 13 May 2012, Cyril Ramaphosa, Shanduka Foundation Chairperson and now the ANC Deputy President reminds us that: “A nation’s history may be written in books, but a nation’s future is written on the chalkboards of its schools.”
Indeed, what happens in the classroom today determines what will happen in our country tomorrow.
In recognition of this reality, when we were given a responsibility by the people of this province in 2009 to run the department, we set ourselves one goal – achieving quality education, which is a basic right for every child in South Africa, not just those children who are fortunate to have access to good schooling.
To inspire us to achieve quality education for every child, envisaged in the National Development Plan (NDP), we adopted a theme ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind.’ To attain this goal we made a call since 2009 for teachers and learners to be in class, on time, teachers, teaching and learners, learning.
In moving towards ensuring that there is no class without a teacher, we have since 2009 to date converted 2 612 temporary teaching posts into permanent posts – creating decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods for these teachers.
Teachers - Ladies and gentlemen, are critical for implementing the curriculum. In many ways the future reconstruction and development of the country depends on the capabilities, dedication, commitment and well being of our educators who teach in our schools.
We therefore welcome President Zuma’s announcement last month of a Presidential Remuneration Commission to review salaries of public servants, with teachers as a priority.
This should advance efforts to improve scholastic performance to which we have committed in the delivery agreement for the basic education sector.
We take this opportunity to salute and celebrate the Free State teachers who have made us proud at the National Teaching Awards (NTA) ceremony held on 7 March 2013.
Our own Mr Johannes Melesi, a principal from Kopanong Secondary School was awarded a prestigious and special ministerial recognition, the Professor Kader Asmal Excellence Award. Ms Anita Van Vuuren from Universitas Primary School achieved the first position in Excellence in ICT- Enhanced Teaching.
These teachers represent the best this province has to offer, the best that our education system has to offer and the best that our public service can show.
Honorable Acting Speaker, in response to the President’s call of making education a societal issue allow me to use this chamber to invite unemployed graduates, private sector, NGOs and other professionals, especially those with maths, science and accounting skills to volunteer their valuable time, skills, knowledge and resources to assist in the delivery of quality education.
This call reflects our realization that government alone cannot address all the educational challenges besetting our country. We therefore need to create a conducive environment for working together with all stakeholders to achieve quality education.
Budget for 2013/14
Honorable Acting Speaker, the budget allocation for 2013/14 financial year is R10.456 billion – a 0.21 % increase from the adjusted budget of R10.434 billion in 2012/13 financial year. Given the minimal increase in our budget allocation there is a dire need to tighten the belt and spend our budget frugally.
This budget we will inter alia address the following priorities over the 2013 MTEF:
- Bursaries for tertiary education,
- Schools Infrastructure,
- Expansion of the Early Childhood Development programme,
- Continuation of No-Fee Policy,
- Learner support through Learner Transport, Hostel support and Nutrition program,
- Provision of Learner and Teacher support materials and;
- Enhancement of learner performance in National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Annual National Assessments (ANA), with special focus on maths and science.
National Senior Certificate (NSC)
It is pleasing to note that our province’s grade 12 pass rate has steadily improved since we took over this department in 2009. The provincial pass rate was at 69.4% then, 70.7% in 2010, 75.7% in 2011 and an astounding 81.1% in 2012. Effectively, this represents an improvement of 11.7% in a period of 3 years!
In 2012 we set ourselves an ambitious target of 80%, which we managed to exceed in one year. We are the only province where all districts have performed above 80%. This has positioned the Free State as the 3rd best province in the country, locating us within the league of the affluent Gauteng and Western Cape provinces. This improvement is indeed encouraging.
In 2013 we will work even harder to successfully obtain our new target of 85%.
In the same vein, through our Provincial Strategy on Learner Attainment (PSLA), we have strived to improve the quality of passes throughout the system. The number of bachelor passes has increased over time, from 6 030 in 2009 to 6 937 in 2012, despite the drop in our grade 12 enrolments.
For the first time in the province, 12 historically disadvantaged schools have registered a 100% pass rate (Gold status) in the 2012 grade 12 results.
Honourable Members, it is interesting to note that 8 of these schools have obtained the Gold status for the first time in 2012.
These improvements, sustained as they are since 2009, are a direct result of our interventions; working together with our social partners in strengthening the capacity of schools and ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind’.
Grade 12 pass requirements
These positive improvements are contrary to critics’ assertion that the standards of NSC introduced in 2008 are lower than the old Apartheid Senior Certificate (SC). This is not true. Reputable assessment bodies such the Cambridge International Examinations and the Scottish Qualification Authority have given our NSC a thumbs-up.
Ladies and gentlemen, to obtain admission to university study for bachelors, with the old senior certificate a candidate had to at least pass any 4 subjects at 40% and 2 at 33.3%.
In the NSC, the admission to bachelor enrolment requires a minimum 50% pass in 4 designated subjects, and the remaining subjects at a minimum of 30% provided the Home Language is passed at 40% and Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) at 30%. Clearly, it has become more challenging for learners to pass the NSC than it was to pass the SC.
Annual National Assessments (ANA)
During September 2012, 396 590 grade 1-6 and grade 9 learners from public and independent schools wrote the Annual National Assessments (ANA) to test their literacy and numeracy skills.
We are happy to report that learner performance is generally pleasing.
In grade 3, the provincial average performance in Languages has improved from 37% in 2011 to 56.3% in 2012 and 65% of learners achieved at least 50% and more. In grade 3, the Maths performance improved to 44.7% up from 26% in 2011. This improvement has put the Free State in 2nd and 3rd position nationally in Grade 3 languages and Maths respectively.
In grade 6, the provincial average performance in Languages has improved from 23% in 2011 to 52.2% in Home Languages in 2012 and Mathematics performance improved slightly from 28% in 2011 to 28.4% in 2012.
Honourable Acting Speaker, we need to note that the Free State has registered the highest (56.8%) number of learners in the country who achieved at 50% and above in Grade 6 Home Language and that we are the only province where Grade 6 Maths average scores have not dropped.
Improvement in our ANA results can be attributed to a number of interventions which we will intensify and consolidate in 2013 through our Literacy and numeracy (LITNUM) strategy, which include:
- the deployment of 313 Teacher assistants in Grade 3 classes,
- the ‘Dancing Pencil’ project in which Grade 3 learners wrote their own story books,
- Competitions (mental maths, spelling, chess),
- the ANA Roadshows and exemplars question papers,
- Booklets on minimum expected competency levels etc.
- Back to basics materials such as Ntataise & Mathlasedi
Whilst our performance in Grade 9 Home language is 48.9%, our performance of 14 % in Grade 9 Maths remains a concern.
In 2013, we will intensify our interventions through ‘operation vula’ program particularly in the intermediate and senior phases of the system to achieve our target of increasing the pass rate by 20% in struggling schools.
The interventions will include:
- the re-organisation of our subject advisory services into High school and Primary schools,
- Deployment of unemployed youth as maths and English teacher assistants,
- The introduction of supervised studies at primary and high schools,
- Standardisation of literature texts from grade 8-12
Focus on Maths and Science
Through our ‘Maths for All’ campaign, which seeks to increase performance and participation of learners in Mathematics, we have succeeded to create a mathematically enabling environment for all learners in our schools. This is part of our response to the ANC’s 2009 elections manifesto which promised to improve performance in Maths and Science.
It therefore, comes as no surprise that we have significantly improved our grade 12 performance in Maths and Science. In 2010 our learners’ performance in Physical Science was 43.5%, in 2011 we improved by 11.2% and obtained 54.7%.
In 2012 we improved by 13.4% and registered a pass rate of 68.1%. In Mathematics the provincial performance was 47.9% in 2010, 53.5% in 2011 and 64.4% in 2012.
The improvement in the performance of learners in these subjects can be attributed to various interventions which we will continue to intensify in 2013.
These include inter alia:
1. Extra and holiday classes prioritising maths, science and accounting subjects.
2. A residential teacher development programme that focuses inter alia on teachers’ maths and science content knowledge.
3. Installation and use of the Mindset Channel by 200 schools since 2011.
4. Provision of 150 FET and 45 Primary schools with Hey! Math Programmes to assist in the teaching and learning of Mathematics.
5. Science kits distributed to 520 primary schools and mobile science labs to 210 high schools – mainly from quintile 1 to 3.
6. The reskilling of Mathematics Literacy teachers 106 in 2012 and an additional 100 in 2013 to pure maths educators through the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
7. Installation of Maths Labs in about 300 primary schools since 2011 and training of teachers on how to use these maths labs.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
Lefapha le eme le tiile boitlamong ba lona ba ho atolosa mophato wa Grade R le ho fana ka lenaneo la Thuto ya Motheho ya boleng bo hodimo.
1. Ho tloha ka 2009 re thehile mephato e 256 ya grade R dikolong tse tlwaelehing tsa setjhaba. Hona ho entse hore palo ya bana ba kgonang ho fumana Thuto ya Motheho e nyolohele ho 43 286 ka 2012.
2. Hona ho bolela hore re motjheng o nepahetseng o lebisang phihlellong ya ho etsa hore thuto ya motheho porovenseng ena ebe e kgemang le maemo a matjhaba. Re na le tshepo e matla ya hore ka 2030 bana bohle porovenseng ena ba tla kgona ho simolla ka thuto le ntshetsopele ya bona ditsheng tsa Ntshetsopele ya Thuto ya Motheho.
3. Hore re tle re kgone ho ntlafatsa Thuto ya Motheho re se re rupeletse basebeletsi ba 552 ba mophato wa grade R maemong a NQF Level 5.
4. Meputso ya basebeletsi ba mophato wa Grade R e ekeditswe selemo le selemo ka 8% ka 2010, 12% ka 2011 le 5% ka 2012.
5. Tekanyetso ya Thuto ya Motheho e eketshile ho ya ho R112 million ka 2013/14. Ho tloha ka kgwedi ya Mmesa 2013, meputso ya basebetsi ba sa rupellwang ba grade R e tla nyollelwa ho R5 000, ya ba fumaneng thupello e sa fellang e nyollelwe ho R5 600 mme ya ba rupeletsweng ka botlalo yona e nyollelwe ho R7 000 ka kgwedi.
Inclusive Education
Honorable Members, the department is committed towards the building of an Inclusive Education system at all levels as outlined in Education White Paper 6: Building an Inclusive Education System, 2001, which is consistent with the key principle of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability.
Such a system will facilitate the inclusion of vulnerable learners and reduce the barriers to learning through targeted support structures and mechanisms that will improve the retention of learners in the education system, particularly learners who are prone to dropping out.
The 2013 academic year has been declared by Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga as the year of Inclusivity.
In support of this declaration we have set aside an additional R14 million in this financial year to strengthen all the special schools. This allocation will be used to procure specialised Learning and Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) to ensure learners in these schools receive the quality education they deserve.
In line with our theme of ‘Raising the bar and leaving no child behind’, this year we will train 1000 educators on the revised Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) strategy. This will equip these teachers to identify learning barriers at an early stage and provide the necessary support to learners.
Honourable Acting Speaker, before 2009, the province had only 3 public ordinary schools designated as Full Service Schools (FSS). To increase access to quality inclusive education we now have 28 FSS in the province. These are the schools that are able to include learners with mild to moderate disabilities and implement all possible measures to reasonably accommodate them.
This year, 100 more public ordinary schools will be designated as Full Service Schools. This will go a long way in providing education to learners who were unable to access special schools because they are either full or far from their homes.
Last month, as part of our effort to ensure learners with mobility impairment access education, we have provided six wheelchair buses to Tswellang Special School, Pholoho Special School – both in Motheo District and Amari Special School in Welkom.
Provincial Government Bursary Scheme
Selemong sa 2008 ke dibasari tse 55 feela tse ileng tsa fuwa bana ho ya ithuta ka nako tsohle (full-time). Empa ha e sale ho tloha ka 2009 ho fihlela kajeno, dibasari tse 6 749 tsa ho ithuta ka nako tsohle (full-time) di se di abetswe bana ba hlokang mme ba sebetsa ka thata dithutong tsa bona. Ditekanyetso tse abetsweng ho ho etsa bonnete ba hore bana ba tswela pele ho fumana dibasari selemong sena sa ditjhelete ke R 142 462 000 00.
LTSM/Textbooks
Honourable Acting Speaker, the ANC policy discussion document on Education and Health acknowledges the centrality of learning and teaching materials in the provision of quality education.
The document correctly appreciates that effective schooling requires ‘Teachers, Textbooks and Time’ – Triple Ts. Since 2009, we have introduced a new cost effective model of LTSM procurement, in which we procure directly from the publishers and manufacturers. In 2009 and 2010 we spent about R36 million on textbooks provision. The expenditure on textbooks rose from R201 million in 2011 to R234 million in 2012. This was due to the introduction of the National Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) and the imperative to ensure that by 2014 each child has a textbook for each subject and for each grade.
During this period the focus was on the provision of textbooks for grade 1-6, as well as grade 10 and 11 for all learners in our public schools. In preparation for the 2014 academic year attention will be given to CAPS textbooks for grade 7-9 and grade 12.
Audit Performance
Since 2009, we have been involved in a process of systematically cleaning the asset register to ensure that it is complete and that asset records exist. In the process the Auditor General (AG) had expressed a qualified audit opinion for 2009/10 and 2010/11 due to deficiencies in our asset register.
Today, we are happy to announce that material deficiencies identified in the asset register were corrected. As a result, the AG has now expressed an unqualified audit opinion on the financial statements of the Department for 2011/12.
We take this opportunity to thank the Audit Committee for guidance and holding us accountable.
School Funding
Ladies and gentlemen, school fees continue to have a significant effect on access to education.
To respond to these challenges, we have since 2009 increased the no-fee subsidy from R807 for quintile 1 schools to R1 010 to date. The no-fee subsidy for quintile 2 and 3 schools will also be R1 010 this year. Previously quintile 2 schools received R740 whilst quintile 3 schools received R605. There used to be complaints about inequality in the allocation of funds for various quintiles in the province. This year’s allocations respond to those concerns and the R1 010 allocation for all quintiles closes the gap.
In the 2012/13 financial year, no-fee subsidies benefited 493,287 learners and in 2013/14 it will benefit 500,371 learners – an increase of 7,084 learners.
Hostel Project
In many farm are as, learners have to walk long distances to school and some are from child headed families, a situation which adversely affects access to schooling and learner retention at schools.
We have therefore constructed hostels in rural communities as a strategy to address these educational and socio- economic challenges.
There are currently 25 hostels throughout the province accommodating 2 817 learners.
In 2009 we opened three hostels. These are Relebohile-Sibulele in Smithfield, Kgotsofalo Hostel in Tierpoort and Harmony Hostel in Virginia, which accommodates 420 learners and employed 35 people.
In the 2013/14 financial year we will open four hostels. These are: Albert Moroka in Thaba Nchu, Dr Block in Bloemfontein, Majweng in Diyatalawa near Harrismith and Philipolis Hostel in Philipolis. These four hostels will accommodate 1 052 farm learners and 82 people will be employed.
National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)
Lefapha le tshehetsa dikolo tsa quintile 1, 2 le 3 ka lenaneo la phepo ya bana dikolong (school nutrition programme). Selemong se fetileng sa ditjhelete bana ba 521 611 ho tswa dikolong tse 1 181 ba ile ba una molemo lenaneong lena la phepo ya bana. Selemong sena sa ditjhelete bana ba 524 613 ho tswa dikolong tse 1 186 ba se ba ntse ba fumantshwa phepo ho tswa lenaneong lena la phepo ya bana dikolong.
Bakeng sa selemo sa ditjhelete sa 2013/14 re beheletse ka thoko tjhelete e kalo ka R283 552 000 bakeng sa phepo ya bana ba 535 027 dikolong.
The NSNP not only supports needy learners, it also has an impact on job creation and the alleviation of poverty. We have appointed Volunteer Food Handlers (VFHs) who prepare, cook and serve food to the learners.
The VFHs increased from 2 801 in 2011/12 to 3 003 in 2012/13 and received R720 monthly. In 2013/14, 3 013 VFHs will be appointed by the schools and each VFH will receive an increased stipend of R840 per month.
In addition there are 388 Local Women Cooperatives (LWCs) registered with the department. These cooperatives are delivering raw foodstuff to the NSNP benefiting schools in the province. About 385 schools are utilising our LWCs. We will monitor these Cooperatives to make sure that there is cooperation between them and schools.
Learner Transport
We have introduced Learner Transport to farm/rural school learners who walk long distances to school to ensure access to basic education. To date there are 8 851 learners from 166 farm schools that are being transported daily; along 367 routes and by 185 Service Providers.
In addition we have recently handed-over ten 60 seater buses to districts across the province to assist farm learners to access education. This in line with our theme – ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind.’
School Governance
Honorable Members, in the 2009 school governing body (SGB) elections, more than 10 000 members of these structures were elected. In 2012 another round of successful elections were held resulting in the election of 11 264 governing body members. I am told that SGB elections are the second biggest in the country after the national general elections.
Newly elected members of the SGBs are currently undergoing training on school governance to enable them to fulfill their roles and responsibilities as prescribed by the South African Schools Act. About R11 958 000 has been set aside to improve school governance in the 2013/14 financial year.
The ANC’s Roadmap on Education – which covers a Ten-Point Plan – stipulates that any attempt to deliver quality education must be stakeholder- driven and must be based on society wide agreement. Together with SGBs, together with parents and together with communities we can do more towards ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind’. We urge parents to actively participate in Quality Learning and Teaching (QLTC) structures and take greater responsibility in the education of their children.
School infrastructure
Since 2009 considerable effort has gone into improving the processes of tackling physical infrastructure backlogs in our schools. We are indeed making headway in gradually banishing the legacy of apartheid in our schools.
In the last 4 years we have completed 19 new schools inclusive of all educational facilities. Construction of five new schools commenced in the 2010/11 financial year, two of these schools - Kamohelo Primary in Bloemfontein and Ithabeleng Secondary in Wesselsbron are complete. The other three schools - Bopa-Setjhaba Primary in Parys, Letlotlo Naledi Primary in Bothaville and Johan Slabbert Special School in Kroonstad will be completed during the 2013/14 financial year.
Through the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) we will replace inappropriate structures in 30 schools in the next two years. This programme seeks to replace schools which were previously built with prefabricated material including asbestos.
To restore dignity in education and improve quality learning and teaching we have since 2009 constructed 30 grade R classrooms, 91 classrooms, 10 administration blocks, 12 halls, 5 media centres, 6 laboratories in existing schools.
Partnerships
Honourable Acting Speaker, on 12 March a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between Kagiso Trust, Shanduka Foundation and the Free State Department of Education was signed.
The magnitude of this partnership is unheard-of. Together Kagiso Trust and Shanduka Foundation committed R200 million and we have set aside R200 million for this project.
This partnership will enhance effective learning and teaching in more than 400 Fezile Dabi District, Thaba-Nchu and Botshabelo schools in the next five years.
We take this opportunity to not only thank Kagiso Trust but also the following stakeholders for their contributions in improving learning and teaching in our schools:
Goldfields Mining South Africa, Microsoft SA, Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA), Sentech, Transnet Foundation, Nedbank, Old Mutual, Vodacom, Standard Bank, Eagle Brothers, FNB, Interstate Bus Lines, Investec: Tshiya Group and the Kutlwanong Centre, SASOL, Voorspoed Mine, Maskew Miller Longman, Oxford University Press, Lenovo, Metropolitan, Protea Hotel Bloemfontein, Central the University of Technology, Free State University and many other companies who have helped in ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind.’
School Connectivity
Madam Acting Speaker, the White Paper on e-education advocates for the implementation of Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) in education in order to improve quality teaching and learning. We have responded to this policy directive by embarking on a venture to roll-out ICTs connectivity to rural and townships schools.
In the 2012/13 financial year seven Dinaledi schools were connected to ICTs.
In partnership with USAASA, we have installed computer laboratories and Internet connectivity in 15 more schools.
In the 2013/14 about 200 farm schools will be provided with free access to Internet connectivity.
Together with Microsoft SA we will provide unified communication platform to all the schools with Internet access. Through this platform which is called Office 365, learners and teachers in these schools will receive personalised e-mail accounts and free Microsoft office packages.
FET Colleges & AET
Honourable Acting Speaker, from 1 April 2013, therefore, all Further Education Training (FET) Colleges staff and provincial officials providing auxiliary services to colleges will be transferred to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
We are confident that the transfer of responsibility of FET Colleges from the provinces to the DHET will allow the department to address the current skills shortage facing the country.
We are delighted to announce that an enrolment in FET colleges has phenomenally increased from 26 012 in 2009 to 29 023 in 2013. In this academic year R141.1 million has been set aside for bursaries to assist needy and deserving learners in the province.
On Adult Education and Training (AET) - the total number of learners who obtained a full General Education and Training Certificate (GETC) qualification in one examination sitting has increased from 752 in 2011 to 1 476 in 2012 in the National Abet Level 4 examinations. This is commendable given the fact that adult learners accumulate subjects for a qualification over numbers of years due to their socio-economic circumstances.
Conclusion
Honourable Acting Speaker, Honourable Members, Ladies and gentlemen today I feel good to be part of the Free State Department team charged with the Herculean responsibility of delivering quality education to all our learners.
As our electoral term is coming to an end, it feel good that I can stand in this chamber as a Free Stater and as a deployee of African National Congress (ANC) – to say to the people who voted us in 2009, to QLTC structures, to learners, teachers, parents and to our social partners who have made an immense contribution in ‘raising the bar and leaving no child’ – Thank you! For making education a societal priority.
The state of education affects everyone because it is linked to the country’s growth and development. It is for this reason that today we are making a clarion call to unemployed graduates and other skilled individuals to volunteer their services with a view of maximising learners’ performance in our schools.
Working together towards achieving quality education– we can make a huge and life-changing impact on learners.
The improvements we have been witnessing since 2009 demonstrates that together we are indeed succeeding in turning this ship around.
They indicate that together we are responding positively to the call made by the President in his February 2012 State of the Nation address for improved school performance particularly in the context of education being the country’s apex priority.
They indicate that together we are on track in ‘opening the doors of learning and culture to all.’
We are on track in achieving the goals set out in the National Development Plan – which is to build a credible education system that will provide learners with high quality education system, regardless of their economic status.
We are on the right track in expanding the provision of early childhood education at pre schools and grade R – classrooms. We are on track in eradicating inappropriate infrastructure in our schools.
In line with the 2013 Premier’s State of the Province injunction we are implementing poverty combating measures that improve the environment for learning and teaching such as nutrition programme, learner transport and farm schools hostel projects.
In line with the ANC Ten-point Plan on Education, we are making sure that there is no class without a teacher and no learner with a textbook.
Madam Acting Speaker, as I conclude I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Honourable Premier Ace Magashule for his sterling leadership and hands-on approach on issues related to education.
Let me also pay tribute to the ANC for making education a number one priority of this government.
My special thanks also go to the Portfolio Committee on Education, Arts and Culture for the notable oversight role they have played since 2009.
I thank HOD- Mr Malope and his team for their dedication and hard-work in ‘raising the bar and leaving no child behind’. Finally a word of gratitude to my family and the staff in my office for the unwavering support they gave me since 2009.
Working together we can do more, ‘in raising the bar and leaving no child behind.’
I thank you.
