2024-w2268 - 18 December 2024

Sixolisa Gcilishe to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Whether her department has the responsibility to deliver learning and teaching support material to all schools before the start of the 2025 school year; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what measures have been implemented to ensure that learning and teaching support material is delivered to all schools before the start of the 2025 school year and (b) how is her department addressing the delays that were experienced by some schools in the 2024 academic year, particularly the no-fee schools where parents might have had to cover the costs of missing materials?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

While Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), together with some public schools with governing bodies that have been granted additional functions, are responsible for the procurement of textbooks and stationery, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for supporting PEDs and public schools in the provisioning of learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) in a number of ways. These are detailed below.

Textbooks

Since 2011, ...

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2024-w2301 - 18 December 2024

Delmaine Chelsey Christians to ask the Minister of Basic Education

What are the full details of the strategy of her department to enhance early childhood development infrastructure, educator training and resources, particularly in disadvantaged areas?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is actively working on enhancing early childhood development (ECD) through strategic investments in infrastructure, educator training and resource provision, particularly in disadvantaged areas. The following outlines the current measures and future plans to strengthen the sector:

  • The DBE is in the process of finalising the ECD infrastructure strategy, which aims to address the need for expanded and accessible ...
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2024-w2302 - 18 December 2024

Delmaine Chelsey Christians to ask the Minister of Basic Education

What initiatives has her department implemented (a) in the past three years and (b) since she assumed office to improve learner retention rate and prevent learners from dropping out before completing matric?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

According to the Department of Basic Education (DBE), in the 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, 715,719 full-time candidates participated, representing approximately 70% of the relevant Grade 1 cohort. The DBE has indicated that, by including the 182,056 part-time candidates who wrote the NSC examinations in 2023, this figure closer increases to approximately 80%. The learner retention rate for the Class of 2023 was ...

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2024-w2361 - 18 December 2024

Ngwanamakwetle Reneiloe Mashabela to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Whether she and/or her department has the power to hold (a) schools, (b) educators and (c) administrators accountable for meeting educational targets; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what steps has she and/or her department taken in each case?

2024-w2249 - 18 December 2024

Nompumelelo Matildah Gasa to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Given that the continued use of pit toilets highlights systemic negligence and a disregard for the safety of the most vulnerable communities in the Republic, what are the reasons that her department failed to eliminate the use of dangerous pit toilets in schools, despite decades of promises and millions in budget allocations?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

The Department of Basic Education (DBE), together with Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) and the DBE’s implementing agents, have made significant progress under the Sanitation Appropriate For Education (SAFE) initiative, completing 3,148 identified sanitation projects since its inception. The remaining 227 projects identified for purposes of the SAFE initiative are scheduled for completion by March 2025. Delays in some projects, caused by underperforming service providers, ...

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2024-w1727 - 18 December 2024

Mmusi Aloysias Maimane to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Whether she intends to scrap the current 30% pass mark for certain subjects in Grade 12 and increase the minimum pass mark to 50% for all the subjects; if not, why not; if so, what are the time frames in this regard?

2024-w2359 - 18 December 2024

Ngwanamakwetle Reneiloe Mashabela to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(a) What is the timeline for rolling out History as a compulsory subject, (b) how will the subject be integrated at different study levels, (c) what career pathways and/or opportunities will studying History create for learners and (d) how will the subject prepare learners for higher education and/or vocational training?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

(a) The Minister of Basic Education has not as yet made a pronouncement on the offering of compulsory History in the Further Education and Training band (FET). The Minister will be briefed by the History Ministerial Task Team in early 2025.

(b) The History Ministerial Task Team has recommended that History should be a stand-alone subject and not be integrated with other subjects, such as ...

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2024-w2232 - 18 December 2024

Siphosethu Lindinkosi Ngcobo to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Given the ongoing concerns of teacher job cuts, (a) what specific support and/or placement programmes does her department have available to assist new teaching graduates in securing employment and (b) how does she reconcile the notion that a teacher can be replaced with the critical need for skilled educators in fostering quality education?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 18 Dec 2024

(a) For the 2025 school year, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has reduced its educator posts by approximately 2,400. As of 18 December 2024, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has advised that the Free State Education Department (FSED) has reduced its educator posts by approximately 6. All other Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) have confirmed that they will maintain their 2024 educator posts ...

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2024-w2156 - 10 December 2024

Nompumelelo Matildah Gasa to ask the Minister of Basic Education

(1)       Given that reports of incidences of conflict and tension emanating from racial intolerance continue to be reported in schools in the Republic, often resulting in public outcry and condemnation, and noting that corrective and remedial actions in such cases seem not to have any meaningful impact nor positive consequence regarding the specified problem, what is the detailed breakdown of the (a) budget, (b) specific actions and (c) timelines set to address the root causes of racial conflict and tension in schools; (2) how will her department ensure that anti-discrimination training is integrated as a fundamental, measurable component within the school system, rather than just a reactionary measure to individual incidents?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 10 Dec 2024

1. (a) Within the Basic Education Budget Vote, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has allocated approximately R3 million to support Building Social Cohesion in Schools and Communities. These funds are utilised to implement the National Schools Moot Court Programme, which promotes constitutional literacy within the framework of human rights education. The budget also supports school and community initiatives aimed at addressing racism, sexism, ...

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2024-w1717 - 10 December 2024

Lerato Mikateko Ngobeni to ask the Minister of Basic Education

What (a) is the total number of Grade R-age children in each province, (b) plans has her department put in place to address and/or assist the provincial departments with the potential enrollment shortfalls against the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, Act 32 of 2024, and (c) has she found to be the implications when gaps are left unaddressed?

Reply from the Minister of Basic Education on 10 Dec 2024

(a) The Department of Basic Education (DBE) uses available data on Grade R enrolments and demographic estimates to guide planning and resource allocation in respect of efforts to expand access to Grade R. I am advised that, for the 2024 school year, the estimated total number of learners enrolled in Grade R per province is as follows:

Province

Estimated Number of Learners

Eastern Cape ...

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