Thank you, hon Speaker.
Yinkinga le esikhuluma ngayo Ngqongqoshe, okungukuyeka kwezingane esikoleni. [We are talking about the serious problem of school drop-outs, Minister.]
There are many factors responsible for such a phenomenon.
Ngisakhula mina wawungazitholi izinto ezinhle uma ungayanga esikoleni; ukuthenga umabonakude, kanye nokuba nendlu, kodwa manje noma ngubani ongayanga esikoleni uqhamuka esenezinto ezinhle.
Ziningi izingane eziqede ibanga leshumi ezihlezi emakhaya. Uma ingane ithi iqhubeka nesikole, bese ibuye izibuze ukuthi ngizoyelani esikoleni ngoba naba abaningi abaqeda esikoleni behlezi emakhaya. Umuntu oyeka isikole - njengalaba abaphila ngamathenda - athole izigidi zemali engafundile; bese ingane iyazibuza ukuthi izofundelani, ingani naba abangafundile banezidigi zezimali. Ngicela ukubuza-ke Ngqongqoshe ngoba ... (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[When I grew up we did not have fancy things - televisions and houses - if you did not go to school, but now even people who did not go school have such fancy things.
There are many children who matriculated who are at home. When children think of completing their schooling, they ask themselves why they have to go to school because there are many who matriculated who are at home. A person who drops out of school - like the ones who survive on tenders - get millions of rands even when they are not educated; then a child would ask: Why do I have to be educated, while there are uneducated ones with millions of rands? If I may ask the Minister because ...]
... this is essentially a social problem. Don't you think that now is the time for different departments, those other than Education, to come together, look at this problem closely and come up with programmes to serve as incentives for these youngsters?
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZEMFUNDO EYISISEKELO: UBab' uMpontshane uhlanganisa izinto ezingahlangani, ukuthi abanye bathola imali yamathenda akuhlangani nami lokho nokuthi abanye baqeda ibanga leshumi nalapho nami angingeni lapho.
Ngicabanga ukuthi into ehlangana nami yile yokuthi kufanele lento siyilungise sonke njengeMinyango kahulumeni. Kungakho sisebenzisana noMnyango wezokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi, ukubonisa ukuthi singabambisana ngokulungisa lokhu. Kunjengoba usho nje lena akuyona nje inkinga yokuganga, yinkinga ebangelwa yisimo laba bantu abaqhamuka kuso.
Njengoba usho futhi ukuthi nendawo abaqhamuka kuyo, kanye nezimo ezisemphakathini. Izinto ezisemphakathini yizo ezibaqeda amandla, azibuze ukuthi usayelani esikoleni ngoba naba osibanibani bathole o-A kodwa bahlezi no-A babo lapha elokishini, kuyafana ukuthi uphase kahle noma qha.
Siyavumelana, yingakho ngisho ukuthi angazi ukuthi ungibuzani ngoba siyavumelana. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[The MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION: Hon Mpontshane is incorporating two different issues. The fact that some get tenders and others complete their matric does not concern me.
I think what concerns me is the fact that we have to rectify this as government departments. That is why we are working with the Department of Social Development, showing that we can work together in correcting this. You are right in saying that this is not a minor problem; it is a problem caused by their background.
Where they come from social circumstances have affected them, as you said. The things that happen in their communities make them feel demoralised; they ask themselves why they are still going to school because others got As but they stay with their As in the locations, so getting good results is the same as failing.
We agree, and that is why I am saying I do not know why you are asking me because we are on the same page.]