The question is asked with regard to intervention in the Eastern Cape. The first one is about the vacuum in leadership and the answer is that in terms of section 100(1)(b) an intervention unit has been established and is based in the Eastern Cape to co-ordinate the activities of the intervention. Teams have been put together by Basic Education, National Treasury and the Department of Public Services and Administration to lead the various streams of the intervention, working with the provincial officials in the areas of planning, infrastructure, quality teaching and learning, financial management, services and human resource management and development.
In terms of the cumbersome culture of a poor work ethic in the province, these matters are part of a scoping exercise intended to uncover the underlying causes of the challenges facing the Eastern Cape Department of Education and to develop an intervention plan to review the organisational structure and to tackle the work ethic, which is indeed a problem in the province.
On poor financial management systems, again, the National Treasury team, led by Julinda Gantana, has taken charge of the financial management component and related functions in the Eastern Cape Department of Education. While dealing with the underlying problems, the team has also started to address systems, processes and procedures in this regard, and a report on the scoping of underlying problems will be finalised and submitted to me at the end of this month.
In terms of the lack of monitoring and evaluation, officials of the Department of Basic Education and the Eastern Cape Department of Education held engagements on 24 March 2011 to address issues related to monitoring and evaluation, with specific reference to improving learner outcomes, enhancing data credibility and image and the monitoring of the system as a whole. The Minister and the Deputy Minister addressed senior management and focus sessions for district directors on 6 June to deal with monitoring and evaluation with a view to improving the quality of teaching and learning in Eastern Cape schools. Plans for short-term intervention are implemented, while medium- to long-term plans will emerge from the scoping exercise under way.
Thank you, Minister, for you answer. My question is: With regard to the elements that you have answered, is there any targeted intervention in terms of capacity-building for the officials in the Eastern Cape, so that by the time you pull out, they are able to go on on their own?
Definitely, hon member, and that is why the teams that are there are working with officials in the province, making sure that together they teach each other and learn together, so that when the teams withdraw, the province can continue to run with its work. An intervention can't be permanent. At some stage, whichever teams have been sent to the province will have to withdraw and the province will have to run its education system. Therefore, it is central to the intervention in the province that this has been done.
Minister, part of the problem around a work ethic and a commitment to the vocation of teaching has to do with the fact that many provincial departments of education have surrendered their managerial prerogative. In many cases that managerial prerogative has been surrendered to trade unions. This is the worst in the provinces that can afford it the least, like the Eastern Cape, as you know, and Limpopo.
My question to you is, since unions have the right to exist and can play a positive role in education, are you willing to facilitate a gathering of the 13 trade unions - yes, there are 13 unions operating in education - to form a federation of trade unions in education and to commit themselves to a charter that defines their positive role in the education system?
The problems that are troubling the education system go beyond that. I concede and acknowledge that there is a leadership problem in the system, from provinces into the schools. The problem cannot be with specific unions because even where there are unions, in schools and provinces where there is proper management, things are working. So it's sometimes not fair to blame unions only. For me the buck stops with the managers - the school managers. Some schools, even those led by different unions, do function if the school commits itself to functioning. It is not accurate or fair to blame unions. It is also about management, leadership and a host of other activities that create problems within the sector.
We have what we call the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign, QLTC, which has been signed by all teacher unions. We meet regularly and raise problems that have been picked up with union members. But, again, they have to be drawn to everyone's attention. We have to be alerted and engage with unions. So, that federation you are talking about is a process that is being undertaken. We have a QLTC in every province. It consists of teacher trade unions, parents and learners as key stakeholders in education. We use that forum to deal with the issues and challenges that you allude to. The fact of the matter is that the problems go beyond unionism. The problem is mainly about leadership and management in our schools and even our provinces.
I just want to know from your department whether you have really taken over in the Eastern Cape. Two matters were raised in the media last week that are cause for concern. One, the national team and the provincial team were supposed to meet last week and there were some problems with that meeting. Secondly, there is a stand-off between the national task team leader and the accounting officer, Mr Manya, who wanted to know what his position and role in this national task team are. Thank you.
In terms of the intervention, what we agreed with the province was that for the first three months, because of the high instability caused by the termination of transport, we would allow for a period of stability. That took us up to the end of June. After the first phase, we go into the second phase. That is when the problems you mention arose, because it meant practically taking over the powers. Some difficulties arose. This morning Cabinet resolved that we will be sending a communiqu to the province to clarify section 100(1)(b). I think the province didn't have a full understanding. We clarified that section 100 (1)(b) means complete take-over, which, we think, the province did not quite understand. That is why Mr Manya was asking where he fitted in. So, Cabinet clarified this today and we will be sending a communiqu to the province.
In terms of the plan, the first phase was to allow for stability, use June as a scoping period and identify concretely what the real problems were. After June, we'll tackle the difficult problems of the province, which are as old as the department itself. For 17 years that department has never had a clean audit. They have been moving between "adverse" and just about anything else. The whole idea is to really go into the most difficult questions from July onwards, after scoping and after being satisfied that the problems causing instability have been settled, such as teachers, transport, school nutrition and books. We are waiting for that period to stabilise before we intervene practically and begin to rock the boat in the province. [Time expired.]
See also QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.
NoticeS of Motion
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the provision of clean running water and sanitation in the rural areas of South Africa.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates the increase in teenage pregnancy.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and how to ensure that South Africa remains a world leader in air safety compliance.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the continuous occurrence of and possible solutions to infant deaths as a result of negligent mothers.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC: That the House debates the introduction of environmental studies and the appreciation of nature in the school curriculum.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates whether any fisheries functions of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries should be transferred to the provincial government, as is permitted in the Marine Living Resources Act.
I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates strategies to deal with the mushrooming of illegal land invasions.
Voorsitter, ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek op die volgende sittingsdag van die Huis namens die DA sal voorstel:
Dat die Huis toenemende kubermisdaad bespreek, asook die rol wat die regering saam met die Parlement kan speel om internetgebruikers se veiligheid te verseker. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.)
[Mr N J VAN DEN BERG: Chairperson, I give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates increasing cybercrime, and the role government and Parliament can play in providing security to Internet users.]
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the DA:
That the House debates the high levels of rhino poaching in South Africa and whether the current response measures to curb poaching are adequate.
Chairperson, I hereby give notice that on the next sitting day of the House I shall move on behalf of the ANC:
That the House debates the proposal to change the current medical aid deductions system to that of tax credits to benefit the poor.