Media statement by the Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu on the occasion of the media briefing session on the education outcomes of grade 12 learners receiving Social Protection Services
Programme Director, Mr Paseka Letsatsi;
Minister of Basic Education, Ms Angie Motshekga;
MECs of Social Development with us today;
We have the MEC from Gauteng who holds two portfolios –as the MEC for Education in the Province and Acting MEC for Social Development, Mr Panyana Lesufi;
MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza from Kwazulu-Natal;
MEC Thandi Shongwe from Mpumalanga;
MEC Martha Bartlet from Northern Cape;
MEC Boitumelo Moiloa from North West;
MEC Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi from the Eastern Cape;
NSFAS Administrator, Dr Randall Carolissen;
CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Mr Cassim Coovadia;
CEO of Black Management Forum, Mr Maemo Kobe;
CEO of Universities South Africa, Professor Ahmed Bawa;
Acting Director-General of Social Development, Mr Mzolisi Toni;
CEO of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), Ms Totsie Memela-Khambula;
CEO of the National Development Agency (NDA), Ms Thamo Mzobe;
Captains of Industry and Business Leaders with us today;
Grade Twelve Learners from Gauteng Province present here;
Members of the media;
Good morning and thank you all for joining us this morning for this media briefing session on the educational outcomes of Grade 12 (Class of 2019) learners receiving social protection services.
“Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world”. These are the wise words of the founding father of our democracy, President Nelson Mandela.
Indeed prophetic words as we meet this morning to share with you the progress we are making in improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable in our country, our children through the provision of a basket of social protection services, including education.
At the outset, I wish to once again congratulate my colleague, the Minister of Basic Education Ms Angie Motshekga and the Class of 2019 for achieving the 81.3% matric pass rate, the first in our history since the dawn of democracy in 1994.
As a sector, we take great pride in the fact that 55% of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) passes were learners from quintiles 1 to 3 schools, commonly referred to as “no fee schools”.
We are also pleased that of the 2 255 learners with special needs who wrote the 2019 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, 1 281 and 684 achieved Bachelor and Diploma passes, respectively. 211 and 79 obtained Higher Certificate and NSC passes, respectively.
Learners with special education needs achieved a total of 1 277 distinctions, including distinctions in the critical subjects such as Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Mathematics and Physical Science. These achievements are consistent with the key strategic focus of the White Paper on the Rights of Persons of with Disabilities.
The White Paper reaffirms the centrality of education for human, social and economic development of persons with disabilities. The story of Sibongiseni Maseko who is also joining us for this briefing session, is a case in point. His story is powerful on many levels.
Not only can his story inspire other persons with disabilities to not give up, but he can also show the rest of society that a person with a disability to live a happy and meaningful life.
As we enter the new decade of the National Development Plan (Vision 2030) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, it is imperative that we accelerate efforts and focus resources on reaching the most vulnerable children in our society. This is key in ensuring no vulnerable child is left behind.
We can only do this successfully by identifying who the vulnerable children are, where they are, and which services they receive. By monitoring and evaluating the impact of our interventions we can ensure that effective and targeted interventions are developed and implemented.
By monitoring and evaluating our work, we can be accountable to ourselves and the children we are helping. Most importantly, we can be accountable to millions of South Africans who continue to contribute to our government’s social solidarity programme through taxes, which has resulted in significant reduction in child poverty.
I am pleased to launch this report, which highlights the positive impact of social protection services in improving the educational outcomes of Grade 12 learners receiving social protection services. These include social grants, Early Childhood Development (ECD), free basic education and health services, and psychosocial care and support services, including child and youth care services.
Since we started tracking the educational outcomes of Grade 12 learners receiving social protection services in 2012, our reports show that these services are key in the protection of the most vulnerable children by keeping them in school and assisting them to complete their secondary education.
The reports show that more learners receiving social protection services are increasingly completing their Grade 12 with Distinctions, Bachelors and Diploma passes that gives them entrance into institutions of higher learning. Some are also listed amongst the country’s top performers. The support learners receive from Government provide them with opportunities to improve their lives and that of their families.
Through our partnership with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), we have ensured that Grade 12 learners receiving social protection services who have been accepted at higher learning institutions are no longer subjected to the means test to qualify for financial aid.
This progressive policy shift was a major game changer, as it lived up to the Freedom Charter’s bold vision of opening the doors of learning and has since given hope for a better future for many vulnerable children.
Over the years, we have witnessed a significant growth in the NSFAS funding allocation for learners receiving social protection services, with the number rising from 14 177 to almost 250 000 for learners who wrote their NSC examinations in 2016 and 2020 respectively.
I wish to thank NSFAS Executive Administrator, Dr Carolissen and his team for the continued cooperation and unwavering support throughout the years in ensuring that no deserving child is left behind.
Our appreciation also goes to the UN agencies for their active participation and for providing both technical and financial support in assisting us to develop and implement responsive policies and programmes.
We need to work even more closely in the future to bring more children that are vulnerable into the education system to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
We hope to establish similar partnerships with some of the business sector organisations present here today to invest in the human capital development of our country. In line with the NDP goals, we want to leverage the expertise, resources and networks of corporate partners to accelerate progress towards inclusive growth and a development agenda for South Africa.
Our call for partnerships with the business is premised on our understanding that while important, the provision of social protection services on their own can never be a silver bullet to address child poverty and other forms of vulnerabilities.
Through initiatives such as the First 1000 Days Campaign, our long term goal is to provide a comprehensive social protection system from cradle to grave. This is the comprehensive social protection system espoused in the NDP.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the media,
According to data from the Department of Basic Education, a total of 504 303 wrote the 2019 NSC examinations. Learners receiving social protection services account for 76% of all full time NSC enrolments, with inactive Social Grant Beneficiaries (SGBs) accounting for the larger proportion (59%). This varies by province, from 43% in Western Cape to 71% in Limpopo.
For the period under review, 97% of all learners receiving social protection services enrolled for the 2019 NSC examinations and wrote their examinations. While this is encouraging, we need to follow up on the missing 3 % and get them back on the education system and enable them to take advantage of available educational opportunities, with specific focus on child and youth-headed households.
This includes the expansion of the child and youth care services that are targeted in rural and disadvantaged communities to ensure the retention of vulnerable children in school until Grade 12.
The earliest years of life is a particularly critical time to intervene in the lives of vulnerable children. Young children from vulnerable backgrounds have a better chance of attending primary school if they have received health care, nutrition and stimulation through early childhood programmes.
Studies show that early childhood educational programmes can generate learning gains and improve the life chances of poor children. In this regard, we are pleased to inform you that our government has declared ECD a public good.
Work is currently underway to achieve universal access to ECD by 2030. We remain committed to make good on our commitment.
Part of this commitment is to ensure that we work jointly to implement the National Integrated Protection Information System (NISPIS) across the social sector to monitor and evaluate the impact of social protection services. By understanding the impact or lack thereof of our interventions and the reasons why, innovative policies and programmes can be developed to effectively target those most in need.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As 2030 approaches, it is ever more important for us to work collaboratively within the sector and with key development partners to identify and to monitor those pockets of vulnerable children facing the greatest disadvantages and to prepare policies, interventions and budgets to address their basic human rights.
This is the only way in which we can achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Before I conclude, I wish to acknowledge all the women, from child and youth care workers, social workers and caregivers who play a great role in making solid decisions when it comes to the welfare of our children.
You have made sure that the investment that we, as a caring government, are making towards improving the quality of life for our children is solid. We salute you.
I thank you.
