Hon Chairperson and hon members the work of the committee is anchored around the work that we have to do to ensure that we achieve the type of post school education and training system vision in the 2013 White Paper on post school education amber National Development Plan 2030, NDP 2030. This means that the portfolio committee in its nature must ensure that as we conduct our oversight responsibility, focus is placed on the vision that has been set for the post school education and training system, principle governing this vision and the policies that has been developed and will be developed and implemented during our term.
This is significant in the development and transformation of our post school education and training system. It is important that we work collectively, to ensure that the government's vision of an integrated post school education and training, which has different institutions playing their role as part of coherent, but differentiated hope is achieved.
We have to ensure that the system that we are building, transforming and overseeing provides knowledge and skills required by economy as well as contributing to developing thinking citizens who can creatively, effectively and ethically contribute to developing our country.
Against this background, we have the opportunity of presenting this report for adoption. Upon engaging the department, the committee raised the following concerns: The under performance of the department especially in programme four- technical and vocational education and training, and five- skills development. Both programmes achieved only 40% of their targets.
The continuous delays with the transfer of infrastructure and other earmarked grants to higher education institutions. We are concerned about the slow spending on TVET college conditional infrastructure efficiency grants, where the department achieved 2,79% which is R41,5 million, against the target of 40% which R593 million, despite the need to address the maintenance backlog in the sector.
The committee recommends the following:
The department should put mechanisms in place to address underperformance in the technical and vocational education and training and skills development. The department should put mechanisms in place to address the delays in the transfer of infrastructure and other earmarked grants and ensure timeous allocation of the funds to institutions of higher learning. The department should capacitate TVET colleges to ensure that information required for processing of funding applications for maintenance grants is relevant.
Furthermore, the department should ensure that all colleges comply with the conditions to receive infrastructure maintenance grants.
The department should submit its responses to the committee recommendations on a quarterly basis. Thank you Chair [Applause.]
IsiZulu:
USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk M G Boroto): Hhayi namhlanje niyangehlula. [Ihlombe.]
IsiNdebele:
Ragela phambili, baba.
Declarations of Vote:
IsiXhosa:
Sihlalo namalungu aloniphekileyo, ...
English: ... fellow South Africans, molweni (good day). The Education Portfolio Committee has a massive responsibility through the Public Financial Management Act that requires the monitoring of the financial and nonfinancial targets relating to the post school education sector, which enforces the accounting officer to regularly report to Parliament about the usage of taxpayers money, by ensuring impact on the lives of young South Africans the department ought to serve to try to tangibly change their lives for the better based on the target set.
The DA wants to register its grave concerns about the poor performance of the Department of Higher Education Science and Technology in its first quarter which is reflective of entities such as National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, TVET colleges, Sector Education Training Authority, Setas, and some universities as students continue to protest. It is unacceptable that the department has:
Under spent by over half a billion mainly on infrastructure for TVET colleges yet buildings are falling apart, some are run down, unsafe with no on campus wi-fi and outdated workshops for students to be able to acquire skills. Furthermore, contributing to the factor is the slow audit report from the universities regarding the infrastructure spending of R480 million. The department only achieved six of 12 targets, essentially half which is reflective of the lack of implementation and questionable capacity only 42& of the budget being spent.
The low rate of producing artisans is very concerning especially in the context of the required skills development targets, the high youth unemployment and the fourth industrial revolution as loosely tossed around in this House. Of the 5 000 required, less than half has been produced. The certification backlog of the TVET graduates has increased to over 134 000 young people if not more to date, meaning more young people has joined the unemployment statistics.
What is more painful is that the day zero of the certification backlog has been postponed again beyond the misleading statements made by the Deputy Minister in response to my oral question on 20 November 2019. The day zero would be February 2020, yet we have 134 000 graduates sitting at home, can't find work. No targets were set for programmes one and three for this quarter however 72% of the budget has been spent on them. There is no strategic planning and development of the TVET curriculum review instituted in 2018 already to ensure that the courses offer developed skills to solve local problems relevant for industry, the job market, entrepreneurship and innovation.
We as the DA recommend the following to the Minister as the political principle of the department in line with our higher education policy. If you continue to listen and do not act, we are going to have more challenges.
Seta, CSIR, the Department of Higher Education and Umalusi should formulate a task team which will report quarterly about developing a seamless information and communications technology, ICT, process for the timeless production of certificates instead of talking about Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, but we can't even do our own ICT as government.
Request National treasury for the direct project management of infrastructure maintenance on TVET campuses to avoid under spending and political interference on money meant to be addressing dilapidated buildings, unsafe lecture venues, wi-fi and enhance practical workshop equipment to produce the skills that are relevant for industry entrepreneurship and innovation.
As part of alleviating the pressure and ensuring spending on infrastructure grants has significant impact on the lack of student accommodation and the shortage of lecture halls to meet demand, the department must work with Department o Public Works and Infrastructure and the Department of Human Settlements ahead of annual performance plans to identify unused government buildings for the purpose of student accommodation and more education spaces for TVET colleges and Community Education and Training Colleges, CETs,.
Setas are not adequately supporting the development of the needed technical skills by developing artisans through trade test centres which some are white elephants as is the case in my constituency in Bizana where Ingwe TVET College has a building that is standing without being accredited or developing any skills. Conclude the 2018 curriculum review to avoid spending R35 billion of taxpayers' money on outdated skills with nothing to show for it.
Lastly, poor policy and strategic planning is planning to fail as we have seen in this report. Therefore, this culture of setting annual performance targets by the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology based on box ticking than measuring impact on the ground must be stopped immediately.
The DA supports the report on condition that the above recommendations will be accepted to compel the Minister to get the department to perform at optimal level. Less talk more action, take the solutions siyaninika (we are giving you). Thank you so much [Applause.]
House Chairperson, I am not going to waste time here for South Africans, especially student's time discussing some cooked targets of the Department of the Higher Education. From time to time, the department continues to prove that they excellently failed to execute their mandate. Perhaps, we must look into these people who are leading that particular department because they are leading thinkers. Universities and technical, vocational and training, the TVET, colleges are a space of thinkers. You don't take none thinkers and make them lead such critical departments.
I am saying this precisely because there was a commitment to the development of policy with regard to gender-based violence in all institutions of higher learning. To date nothing has been done. I know you want to be reactive and wait for young girls to be killed, to come here and annoy us to say "we are doing this and we are going to that." [Applause.
Just yesterday Central Johannesburg College, CJC, were here in our committee. They reported that there is a student who was brutally murdered trying to go and catch the train. She went to the train because she couldn't get an allowance from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, the NSFAS, to use normal transportation she would use ordinarily. The mistake of the department, they ignored them. Hon Chairperson, we are well aware through the responses from the Deputy Minister there is a deliberate sabotage with regard to this question of policy of gender-based violence.
We all know that the NSFAS is incapacitated. The University of KwaZulu- Natal, Edgewood campus was burning last night. We are all aware and I am sure you have seen on the news. [Interjections.] We cannot be happy about that. In fact, we condemn that. We must not turn a blind eye on the realities that are happening on the ground. The fact that the NSFAS couldn't pay the fees of some of these students, as a result, universities came back and said we allow you to register. We will wait for the NSFAS to pay during the course of the academic year. Unfortunately, the NSFAS did not pay. The debt continued to escalate.
This year the University of KwaZulu-Natal said it's no longer going to assist students to register because this NSFAS and government seemed to be very disloyal and dishonest. They said they would pay last year's figure, but they couldn't. Today students are very angry.
UNIDENTIFIED MEMBER: You are lying. [Laughter.]
There is something we call infrastructure efficiency grant that is supposed to be helping universities to restructure their residences. [Interjections.] We know dilapidating structure is a norm at TVET colleges and universities. There is a commitment that there are more than 300 000 beds that you are planning to make. But let us look at the current residences, especially the historically disadvantage institutions. You go to University of Zululand some of the beds and mattresses in those existing residences - I know some of you studied there - the same beds you slept on, our students are still sleeping on the same mattresses. [Applause.]
If you go to their bathrooms and toilets, the toilets of taxi rank in Berea are much better. The MTN taxi rank those bathrooms are much better as compared to the toilets at Walter Sisulu University, WSU, UniZul and Fort Hare University ... [Time expired.]
Chairperson, I need to draw your attention to what you heard and ignored. Both the member seated there and the Minister, a whole Minister in the Presidency, said to my member there he is lying. You heard them, but chose to ignore that. Can they both withdraw that, it's not parliamentary - it's not allowed.
Hon Mente, let me start by saying I am not a Whip and I will not rule anybody unless a point of order has been raised. Even if I can hear, as long as you don't stand up and raise a point of order, I am not going to do that. Thank you. [Applause.] So, you are saying they must withdraw.
MEMBERS OF THE EFF: Yes.
Who are you talking about?
Minister Mthembu and that new member seated there.
Hon Minister, [Interjections.] Order, members! Hon Minister Mthembu did you say that?
I withdraw, Chair.
Thank you.
Chair, it's the one behind - the new member.
Hon Papo?
Yes, the new one, the guy that always wears
... [Inaudible.]
Setswana:
Aowa! Bua pila. [Say it properly.]
The guy with a "Chicco" style. That one!
Okay, please stand. Did you say that? I am asking.
No, hon Chair. I don't know what they are talking about.
It's the one behind him, Chair.
Okay, that's enough.
The one behind him, not the one next to the white guy.
No, hon members, let's not do that. [Interjections.] I am trying to assist to bring back order. Hon Papo, ...
Sepedi:
E re ke le thu?e, ka gore ke be ke le gona.
English:
It's this fellow with Chicco style who is about to enter.
No, no don't say a fellow ...
Sepedi:
Le wena akere... a se t?ona t?eo. A se t?ona.
English:
Are you talking about hon Papo?
UNIDENTIFIED MEMEBR: Letsie! Letsie! Letsie!
Okay, hon said he doesn't know what you are talking about. So, because I didn't hear him, I cannot pursue that. Unless it recorded on Hansard, I would say I would rule on it. Hon Letsie, will you please take the podium and represent ... [Interjections.] Sorry, sorry.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyaxolisa. Qhubeka bab'uNxumalo.
House Chairperson, I don't know whether the pastor can give us an opportunity. Pastor, can you give us an opportunity, please? The Department of Higher Education still has a lot of work to do that is both meaningful and sufficient to the youth and the economy of our country. We see that many of the issues in this department revolve around technical and vocational education and training in skills development which are TVETs.
The department's performance has been underwhelming in this regard to say the least. Nearly R600 million allocated for maintenance in TVET colleges has not been achieved. This figure does not have any meaning. We are now at the stage where underexpenditure in this sector has become so critical. We almost immediately see a protest action as a poor and lack of infrastructure. We need to ensure that when we develop plans for implementation that the department carries out these plans efficiently and effectively or else people would not receive the intended service delivery.
We cannot therefore allow students to face uncertainty due to lack of infrastructure in particular TVET colleges. The TVET colleges unlock opportunities for young and old people who would otherwise be forced to a life of substance abuse to the economic circumstances. These people have not chosen this way of living and therefore government must ensure that it achieves its target.
We need to look at the NSFAS programme and its serious shortcomings in addressing the issue of learners. Finance management is at the core of NSFAS in competency areas. Yet, we see that the expenditure management and unstructured ... is a total mass. The NSFAS has not followed their statutory requirements regarding the prevention of irregular expenditure as stated in section 51 of the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA. This mismanagement of funds is completely out of control that even when the underadminstration irregular expenditure has risen from R2,84 million to R7,6 billion. This amount is what we know at least for now, but the truth of the matter is that the final figure is still unknown of irregular expenditure. At the end of the day, irregular expenditure deprives our youth of much-needed resources. The IFP does support this report in principle.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyathokoza Sihlalo, nina beSilo.
Hon House Chair, just for the sake of the interpreter I'm going to do this in English. The First Quarter Financial and Service- Delivery Performance Report of the Department of Higher Education and Training is a microversion of the state of the nation. Several planned outputs in this period were not achieved, amongst which the most glaring is maintenance, where 2,7% rather than the planned 40% of the annual budget was spent.
Just like with the nation as a whole, there are pockets of excellence. For instance, the planned output for lead time of 60 days for making an appointment for a trade test to the actual test was exceeded by 23 days. However, this was balanced by the goal of 5 000 new learners to pass a trade test being missed by 2 801, more than half. Maybe that is why it's not so difficult to get an appointment. The goal of 2 500 new fully-qualified artisans was missed by 1 408. So a goal of 2 500 missed by 1 400. I don't think it's negligible. The reason for underspending, which is also reported on in this report, recurs like a refrain - less collection of direct levies due to a contracting economy and unfilled funded vacancies.
Now, may I draw the attention of the House to the striking correlation between legal impediments to the appointment of qualifying individuals to vacancies due to their demographical features and the nonachievement of these outputs? The FF Plus supports but laments this report.
Thank you hon House Chair. [Interjections.] Thank you. You want me to? Okay. I think that one thing we must admit is that postschool education is very important and the emphasis should be on quality rather than quantity.
Like the Western Cape.
However, Deputy Minister, I think what is important is this. You need to understand that you are not judged by what you do; you are judged by what you don't do. So, what you don't do might be a small percentage but it overrides all the good work that you do. You've heard this. Deputy Minister, I think what should happen is that when you report after the next quarter, what we'd like you tell us is the following. Firstly, that you have dealt with this underspending. Let me tell you that underspending has two aspects to it. You rather underspend than overspend or spend for the sake of spending. Now, the emphasis seems to be that you did not spend the money. However, had you spent the money and you did not spend it appropriately, you would still have been found wanting. So, I think what is very important is this. You need to ensure ... and we heard earlier on in the Standing Committee on Appropriations that while we want to reduce expenditure, we still want to maintain the same standards, which means that all officials and employees need to up their game. Now, that's not an easy task. That's why you need to deal with consequence management if people are not able to perform optimally. I think that's the problem.
You need to look at the issue of whether the skills shortage in this country and the curricula that technical vocational education and training, TVET, colleges are providing speak to each other. I think it's very important that you need to look at that. You need to look at the issue ... and many people have complained about safety and security. Of course, when you are the ruling party it is understandable that they expect you to do it all. I mean it's expected; I mean unfortunately. Yet, some others who might be in control in different parts of the country cannot do as good as they say they can do. Now, they forget these things.
However, I think what is very, very important is this. Your infrastructure ... underspending is a matter that needs serious attention. Okay? [Interjections.] Don't let the EFF run because they give everything for nothing. Okay?
Let me just say this to you. My concern is with the issue of policy planning and strategy. That is where you really ...
Hey, hon Ntlangwini!
... spent 17,6% and I think that matter needs serious attention. There's no doubt that there has been a vast improvement, even with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS. Let us be honest and let us admit that. The NFP supports the report that is tabled here but calls on you, Deputy Minister, that in the next ... you need to deal with all the concerns raised at the next quarter.
Hon Chairperson, I rise in terms of Rule 91 ... explanation. I would just like to know if the hon member on the seat there, who is to speak now, has been promoted to Deputy Minister. We don't know about that.
Hon member, to start with, the rule that you've quoted is irrelevant to what you are asking. Continue hon member.
Thank you very much hon Chair. Hon Shaik, thank you very much for the anointing but I'm not the Deputy Minister.
We reaffirm that education remains an apex priority for the ANC and the ANC- led government. Education is a central pillar in our fight against the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, as outlined in the National Development Plan, NDP, Vision 2020 and the White Paper for Postschool Education and Training. We have to remind the nation that the ANC's policy document, the Reconstruction and Development Programme, called the RDP, prioritised building human capabilities through investment in education and training.
From inception, the democratic government sought to open the doors of learning and culture. That is why the ANC is committed to continuing to give priority to education and skills development. Enhancing the effort to strengthen higher education and vocational training, and unlocking the energy and creativity of South Africa's young and working people by building their skills and capacities is critical to the eradication of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
We note the concerns and recommendations that the committee has made in relation to TVET colleges and skills development. These two branches of the department are not performing at their optimal level. In this regard, we commend the strides that the department is making to reduce the certification backlog, approved by the director-general, DG.
A total of 77 517 certificates were printed between April and June last year hon Nodada, and they were corrected and printed subsequently. We applaud the department for its introduction of the criterion guidelines for the implementation of the Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning, ARPL, which opens access to more candidates previously excluded for trade testing. This measure, which is developmental as a gap closure, is implemented for those who require some practicals or theory to access trade tests. Evidence has also proven that those who had gone through ARPL have a higher pass rate. It is expected that the number of candidates entering the ARPL and trade testing will progressively increase as privately owned trade test centres implement ARPL.
With the concerns raised relating to the continuous delays in the transfer of infrastructure and earmarked grants, the department is putting measures in place to support institutions with poor infrastructure delivery capacity. Those institutions which had funds with health will have this transferred to them in the next financial year as long as they have made substantial progress on the utilisation of funds for approved programmes.
The Student Housing Infrastructure Programme, Ship, the Budget Facility for Infrastructure, BFL, programme, and transfers in relation to student housing are being processed and will be transferred to institutions by the end of this month. With the concerns raised about the slow spending on TVET colleges' conditional infrastructure grants, despite the need to address the maintenance backlog in the sector, we agree with the department's move to move controls in place to limit the risk of funds being misappropriated for operation and irrelevant expenditure by TVET colleges.
The expenditure in the fourth quarter of last year increased to 27% compared to the third quarter. This indicates that supply chain management processes are slowly being unlocked and expenditure is starting to increase. The department will continue to enforce the requirements of the College Infrastructure Efficiency Grant, CIEG, and the National Immovable Assets Maintenance Management Standard, NIAMMS, and will continue to support all TVET colleges accordingly. However, it will take time to correctly spend the funds appropriately. However, we need to warn those supply chain managers in these institutions and principals at TVET colleges that we will continue to clamp down on corrupt tendencies with this infrastructure grant. [Interjections.]
As I have time, let me respond to what the DA's hon Nodada said. With regard to the certification backlog, hon Nodada, in the first week of February we went to Pretoria to do over5sight, and on the day we went to the sector education and training authority, Seta, to get proper feedback on why we have certification backlogs and when we can expect certification day zero, you unfortunately prioritised your party caucus because Zille called you and you left the oversight, together with the hon member there ... of dreadlocks, hon Keetse ... [Inaudible.] So, you prioritised the wrong things.
Hon Letsie, take your seat please. Yes hon Keetse?
We want to quickly throw a question just to clarify something.
Okay, would you like to take the question hon Letsie?
No, no, I'm going to answer him with ... [Inaudible.]
No, he's not ready for that. Can you take your seat?
Sure, he's ready.
No, he's ... No!
Dreadlocks, sit down!
He says he's not ...
So, ja ... [Inaudible.] [Interjections.]
Hon Keetse, he says he's not ready for your question.
Sit down dreadlocks!
Thank you. Continue hon
...
Point of order! I just want to know whether it's parliamentary to address Parliament like a tsotsi [gangster] with hands in your pockets and standing like this. [Interjections.] This tsotsi [gangster] belongs somewhere else.
Hayi man, huh uh. Take your seat please. Continue hon Letsie.
Thank you very much. Hon members from Toekomsrus ... and he know that this is how they walk in Toekomsrus, with hands in their pockets. However, hon Keetse also left when we were doing oversight. They dealt with some of these issues.
Of course, we will be the first ones to accept where there are challenges. There are challenges with NSFAS. It's us; it's not anybody else in the committee that raises such issues. Of course, they do raise them after we have raised them. However, we raise these issues. We accept where there are shortfalls and where there are problems. So, we have always said where there are challenges, they must be strengthened. Of course, NSFAS must be strengthened. That department must make sure that the TVET infrastructure grant is released to them on time. Of course, it's all good and well to come here, grandstand and speak as if you ... you know ... you are the only one who speaks for the people, but when you are supposed to speak for them you leave and you attend a party caucus that is called by Zille. We want to express our gratitude to the IFP that came here and supported, the FF Plus, the NFP and the DA itself that also supported. I think it's fair to say to the public that the only people that are not supporting programmes of government; people who don't want progress - and we are not saying people must not criticise, but to come here, and every time, wena [you], when you come here you are here to reject, it's a problem - is the EFF. Everybody else has accepted and has supported. [Time expired.] [Applause.] [Interjections.]
Order hon members, order! Hon members, let me start by saying you are reminded that there is a Joint Sitting tomorrow at 10:00.
Secondly, let me say that we are done with the business of the day and ... [Interjections.]
How about putting the report to us.
Oh, I didn't ... I didn't ... Sorry, sorry. I didn't ask for any objections. Are there any objections? [Interjections.] The EFF's objection is noted.
You are noting right?
Yes, it's noted.
Chairperson, the DA also objects.
We also want to call for a division. [Interjections.]
The DA also objects. Yes, you are noted. The objection is noted.
I called for a division. Chairperson, hello! Here, hello! Chair, I would like to also call for a division please. [Inaudible.]
Hon member, this is a report. Let me ... {Inaudible.]
Yes, and we are dividing on a report.
I'm not sure if we divide on a report.
Of course you can Chair.
I'm not sure. Thank you. Can I get advice?
Yes, you can.
Okay, thank you very much. A division has been called. The bells will be rung for five minutes.
Division demanded.
The House divided.