NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 344
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 26/08/2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 2011)
Mr M W Makhubela (COPE-Limpopo) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether (a) the school feeding scheme, (b) the learner transport system and
(c) stationary provision in the Eastern Cape have been re-established and
are operating efficiently; if not, why not; if so, (i) what were the
reasons for the collapse of these schemes and (ii) what plans are in place
to ensure that these schemes are successful? CW445E
RESPONSE(S)
The National School Nutrition Programme was reinstated in March 2011 in the
Eastern Cape. The programme has since stabilised as learners in quintile 1-
3 primary and secondary schools are being provided with daily meals as per
budgetary allocations of the Conditional Grant. The Department of Basic
Education (DBE) is working in conjunction with the Eastern Cape Department
of Education to deal with challenges that may arise as a result of the
introduction of a new model of transferring funds directly to schools.
(b) The learner transport system in the Eastern Cape has been reinstated.
To ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the learner transport system, the
function was transferred to the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of
Transport with effect from 1 April 2011.
The programme collapsed due to insufficient funding and accruals incurred
in the previous financial year.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Departments of Education and Transport are
collaborating to develop learner transport plans that will ensure the
success of the programme. Learner transport beneficiaries and routes have
been verified and 53Â 940 learners in 650 schools are currently transported.
The Eastern Cape Department of Transport is responsible for the physical
transportation of learners and coordinates all matters relating to safety
issues, contracting and managing service providers. The Eastern Cape
Department of Education is responsible for determining learner transport
beneficiaries and coordinates the management of schools participating in
the programme.
(c) The provisioning of stationery to Section 20 Schools in the Eastern
Cape Province was finalised in the months of June and July 2011. The
delay was caused by the flaws which were identified in the tender process
in 2010, which led to the cancellation of the tender in November 2010. The
process went to court and this was finalised in April 2011. The
procurement processes started thereafter.Â
The preparations for 2012 have started on time. There is a project plan
that is followed by the Eastern Cape Department of Education to ensure that
stationery for 2012 will be delivered to all section 20 schools before
schools re-opened in January 2012.