Deputy Chairperson, the Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Bill seeks to amend the Further Education and Training Colleges Act, Act 16 of 2006. The administration and powers entrusted by the Further Education and Training Colleges Act of 2006 were transferred to the Minister of Higher Education and Training by Proclamation No 44 of 2009. Cabinet approved the amendment of Schedule 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in order to make further education and training, FET, colleges an exclusive national competency, hence we have this amending Bill.
Chairperson, the Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Bill has the following key objectives:
Firstly, the Bill seeks to remove all references to provincial authorities by assigning the functions of MECs to the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the functions of the Head of Department to the Director- General of the Department of Higher Education and Training, according to clauses 1 to 10 and 14 to 33. Secondly, the Bill further seeks to regulate the conduct of members of council and staff of public colleges engaging in business with the relevant public college. For instance, clause 8 amends section 10(9) of the Act in order to provide, among others, for a member of a council to declare, before she or he assumes office, any business, commercial or financial activities undertaken for financial gain that may raise a possible conflict of interest with the public college in question.
Thirdly, clause 8 adds several subsections to section 10. For instance, subsection 11 defines the immediate family of a member of a council as her or his parent, sibling or child, including an adopted child or stepchild, and spouse, including a life partner who is living with that member as if they were married to each other.
Fourthly, the Bill provides for the appointment of staff and transitional arrangements. For instance, clause 12 amends section 20(1) of the Act in order to empower the Minister of Higher Education and Training to appoint staff in the identified posts and to remunerate them from the funds allocated to the respective colleges in accordance with the norms and standards contemplated in section 23.
Lastly, clause 33 makes several amendments to schedule 1 of the principal Act. For instance, the Bill replaces "Every lecturer and member of the support staff" in section 36 of the schedule with:
Every member of staff employed in terms of the Public Service Act is subject to a code of conduct of public servants and disciplinary procedures provided for in terms of the Public Service Act and its regulations.
After the tabling of the Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Bill before the Select Committee on Education and Recreation on 19 October 2011, the Select Committee on Education and Recreation, having considered the Bill, tabled in terms of section 231(2) of the Constitution, Act 108 of 1996, recommends that the House approves the Bill. I thank you.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Bill be agreed to.
Declaration of vote: