Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill: adoption; Committee Reports

Meeting report

The Chairperson announced that this was the last meeting of the year.

Committee Report on Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill
The Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill [B42B-2018] was adopted as revived from the Fifth Parliament without amendment.                 

The Committee considered and adopted the Report:
• The Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill [B42-2018] was considered by the Portfolio Committee on Science and Technology in the 5th Parliament.
• The Bill was reported with amendments.
• The Bill was placed before the National Assembly for Second Reading, but was not considered at the time because the term of the National Assembly had ended.
• The Science and Technology Laws Amendment Bill [B42B-2018] was revived and referred to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology in the 6th Parliament by resolution of the National Assembly on 29 October 2019.
• The Committee deliberated on the Bill and recommends that the National Assembly passes the Bill.
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Committee Report on ICGEB Agreement with the Republic of South Africa
The Committee Report was adopted.

Committee Report on the Fourth Industrial Revolution Colloquium
Ms J Mananiso (ANC) said that there may have been further discussion on a few matters to do with 4IR.

The Chairperson advised that the Committee engaged the stakeholders substantially on 4IR and he was comfortable with the Report.

Other Members had no issues with the Report and it was adopted without amendment.

Mr B Nodada (DA) suggested that perhaps timelines should be included in the Report on the implementation of some of the matters raised during engagement. This would help the Committee when holding the Department to account.

The suggestion was noted.

Committee Report on Funding of Post-School Education and Training Sector
Mr Nodada, in response to point 6.1.2 and 6.1.4, suggested that curriculum development must be specific to the needs of the community as well as infrastructure. The Report should capture that point succinctly because communities had complained about the irrelevance of the curriculum as well as how infrastructure development failed to consider the needs of the students in those communities.

The point was welcomed, and the Report was adopted accordingly.

Committee Report on Annual Reports of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs)
The Report was adopted without substantive amendments.

Committee Report on National Student Financial Aid Scheme
The Chairperson said that Members had made it clear that they were not happy with the late submission of the NSFAS Reports. However, matters raised by Members in previous engagements were captured and directed to the Accounting Authority. He suggested that the Committee recommendations would be monitored carefully to ensure that implementation and feedback on the recommendations is furnished.

The Report was adopted without substantive amendments.

Farewell 
The Chairperson allowed Members to bid farewell.

The meeting was adjourned.