Hon Chair, hon Minister of Basic Education, hon Deputy Minister, hon members in the House, the officials led by the Director General, all guests, ladies and gentlemen, principals, teachers, parents and learners, fellow South Africans, good afternoon.
Let me appreciate the opportunity given to me to participate in this debate - the debate which recognizes many accomplishments by the ANC-led government. The government deliberately and consciously declared improved quality basic education as top
priority. It therefore calls on all of us to make an extraordinary effort so that this objective is realised for the benefit of all the children in our country. The ANC supports the Budget Vote No 14. We cannot and we must not fail to ensure that we harness our collective energies to deliver on this important assignment.
Setswana:
Setswana sa borona sere, mabogo dinku a thebana.
English:
We welcome the development that we have noted with the work of the Ministry of Basic Education to date. It is important to acknowledge that despite the many challenges that still exist; the system has continued to show signs of improvement.
IsiXhosa:
Qhubeka mbokodo, uyibambe uye phambili uvale iindlebe uye phambili. Malibongwe!
English:
The provision of infrastructure remains one of the major challenges in rural areas. The ANC manifesto further argues for the improvement of quality teaching and learning and eradication of illiteracy in the schooling system. These priorities have fundamentally informed our radical programmes for educational transformation.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his Sona, committed government to improve infrastructure in schools in order to create conducive environment for teaching and learning. He indicated that the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI is part of the National Infrastructure Plan. He furthermore stated that the National Infrastructure Plan continues to be the key job driver and catalyst for economic growth in our country.
School infrastructure backlog programme has been allocated R4O,4 billion of which constitutes 51,4% of its total budget for the further replacement of unsafe schools as well as to address challenges of shortages of water, electricity and sanitation.
There is a lot of progress that has been made in the 2018-19 financial year; from the provincial programme funded through the Education Infrastructure Grant and the equitable share.
Amongst others, there is a total of 3 661 teachings spaces that were established; about 1 155 maintenance projects were completed, 205 disaster projects completed, water, sanitation, electricity, fencing, sports facilities, boarding schools are also amongst some of them.
Two full service schools and two special schools were provided. The sector has provided a total of 66 new and replacement schools in respective provinces. On the Accelerated School infrastructure Delivery Initiative, ASIDI 222 new schools have been replaced inappropriate structures including mud schools, 795 schools has been provided with sanitation and 935 with water.
IsiXhosa:
Siyaqhuba thina siya phambili.
English:
You can make noise if you want to. The mandate to improve school infrastructure is derived from outcome one of government's Medium Term Strategic Framework, which commits government to invest in schools infrastructure. Hon Chair, the Education Infrastructure Grant has been allocated to provinces and will be highly monitored by the department to ensure that all schools meet the minimum norms and standard of infrastructure.
Chair, as the ANC, we support and welcome the Budget and we acknowledge that it is in essence inadequate to address the historical backlogs of the period prior to 1994. I thank you, Chair. [Applause.]