Deputy Speaker, I have four responses to statements that have been made. The first is in relation to the quality of education in the Western Cape, and certainly we would celebrate with the Western Cape when they do well. Just the year before last, Gauteng surpassed the Western Cape in terms of its achievements. Last year, the Western Cape did better. To us, it does not matter whether it is Gauteng or the Western Cape. We would want all our provinces to do well.
But the reality, in terms of the system of education, lies in the fact that there is disproportionate development across the provinces; that you cannot compare the Eastern Cape in terms of infrastructure with either Gauteng or the Western Cape. For very obvious reasons, Gauteng and the Western Cape would do better. Therefore we have a particular responsibility to ensure that we promote equity as far as possible and bring about parity in the system of education.
We want to share with the House the fact that we work extremely well collaboratively. There are no difficulties or contestations between the Ministry and the MEC for Western Cape. In fact, the national strategic learner achievement plan is adopted by all provinces. Fifty-two million workbooks are distributed to all learners, including the Western Cape. The challenges of learners in relation to literacy and numeracy are not peculiar to other provinces, but include the Western Cape.
Indeed, when one looks at the Western Cape, you surely are going look at the disparities between Rondebosch and Khayelitsha. These are realities that we have to collectively address, and therefore we do not want to politicise this. What we can say to you is that the department has indeed, as I have indicated, produced more than 52 million books on literacy and numeracy. Every child from Grade R to Grade 9 receives a book in the official language on literacy and numeracy. In addition, there are textbooks on science for Grades 10, 11 and 12 and, in fact, we are working towards the provision of mathematics and science books in the intermediate phase, as well as the senior phase.
We also have the annual national assessment, which involves more than 7,220 million learners, including each and every learner in the Western Cape. This means that the problems and the challenges that we face are not peculiar to other provinces, excluding the Western Cape. They are, in fact, generic in nature. Indeed, the Western Cape has done better than many of the other provinces.
With regard to the other ...
Deputy Minister, your time has expired.
I have four responses, hon Deputy Speaker. Is it one? Okay.