Madam Deputy Speaker, I wish to say to Minister Motshekga that we admire her caring and devotion to the cause of educating our nation. I want to make it very clear that our position to her budget is despite her stature. It is based on a rational response to the fact that there has been an accretion of "special issue" items to the Minister's budget since 1994. Her budget is made up of provincial submissions to which you add your policy-making and special project budget.
With this as the background, the budget is not focused on her core business, which must be to pay teachers better and introduce the incentive scheme passed early in 2009. It must also be to render smaller classes and to make sure that there are more textbooks and better information technology in our classrooms. It is also important, hon Minister, to make sure that proper management and training in our schools do happen.
Hon Minister, the department must drive the changes they want to have on the ground in order to have quality education in schools through principals and teachers, not by putting more expensive officials in large offices. It is also important, hon Minister, that you understand and make sure not to outsource projects that ought to be run by officials in your department.
In conclusion, it is important to make sure that no double funding takes place on projects because it is a waste of money, which we cannot afford. [Applause.]