Hon House Chairperson, hon Ministers present, Deputy Ministers, hon members, I salute you. Hon Kenye talked about health and I'll talk about education. The mobilisation of communities to raise awareness and participation in the education of our children is one of the components of the 10-point plan of education adopted by the ANC in 2009.
For any country to prosper, education has to be prioritised. A prosperous nation is one in which everyone is literate; there is at least one employed person in every family; school-going age children are all going to school; their parents show an interest in the education of their children; and parents are willing to assist in any manner informed by their capacity and their support, ranging from encouraging their children to be at school every day, to listening to their educators and being their identity within the schools. Every child in every school paints a picture of their parents in words and deeds.
During 2009 the Ad hoc Committee on Co-ordinated Oversight on Service Delivery was deployed to all nine provinces to monitor and offer support to service delivery. However, I took an interest in education. In the identified municipalities we sought to establish the status of education in those areas. Young people were vocal in their wish for more further education and training colleges in rural areas. We noted in different provinces that delivery of education was driven from the two levels as reflected in the configuration of education, that is, basic and higher education.
We have noted that the 16 different education departments are things of the past. Thanks to the ANC, the ANC-led government has managed to end disparities as far as the education departments of old are concerned. Our children receive the same education, and that education needs to be viewed as every person's business for this country to achieve maximum expectations.
In our Polokwane Conference we stated, and I quote:
... precisely because patriarchal oppression was embedded in the economy, social, religious, cultural, family and other relations in all communities.
We need to use the democratic organs of people of power which have been created by our Constitution and successive legislative amendments, starting with the principle of the South African Schools Act which is informing our turnaround strategy.
Let's talk about the support of children. Children need to be supported by their parents. Parents don't have to be educated to do that. Parents will just inform their children to go to school. When they are at school they will be able to learn. After realising that education is important - as the ANC, we are saying that parents must assist us out there by telling their children to go to school - teachers will be able to do their job.
Another strategic resolution from Polokwane stated that:
Amongst the most vulnerable in society are children, and the national democratic society should ensure their protection and continuous advancement.
The whole society includes everyone in South Africa, including my brothers and sisters sitting this side. We should all assist to make sure that we change the education status of this country.
His Excellency President J G Zuma gave clear marching orders to schools as to what is expected of learners, educators and parents. We urge parents and all those organs to participate. He also reminded us that the unions, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union, Sadtu, the National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa, Naptosa and the "Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie" [SA Teachers' Union] have also pledged that they would be supportive.
Machangana va ri "Khoma hikwaleyo". Loko ho khomisana hinkwerhu swi hi vava swa vana va hina, ngopfu swa dyondzo, vusiwana laha tikweni leri ku nga va ntsheketo eka malembe lawa ya taka.
Un'wana na un'wana a vi na vutihlamuleri eka dyondzo ya vana va tiko leri. Vatswari a hi yeni etinhlengeletanini. Tinhlengeletano a ti vitaniwi hi nkarhi lowu vatswari va nga ta kota ku ti nghenelela. Vafundhisi etikerekeni a va hlohloteli vana ku dyondza. (Translation of Xitsonga paragraphs follows.)
[The Shangaan people say that we must work together. If we can work together being concerned of the wellbeing of our children, particularly in education, poverty in this country will be a thing of the past.
Everybody must take the responsibility in respect of the education of this country. We, as parents, must go to meetings. Meetings should be called when it is convenient for parents to attend. Pastors in churches must encourage children to learn.]
It may not necessarily be easy, that is why in Polokwane we agreed that, and I quote:
Revolutionary democracy shall not find social relations of the new order right and ready for harvesting.
Therefore, we call on all of us to participate positively. Let's rid our streets of children of school-going age by taking them to school. Let us make it our business to assist less fortunate children and pay for one school trip for a particular child, buy them uniforms and so forth. All organisations, if they call themselves organisations, should ensure that they assist at least one child per annum.
This country will only change if all of us participate by doing what we can. Remember, being positive, or rather positivism, is contagious. If we are positive, everybody there will be. Together we can do more. Before I go down I need to talk ... [Laughter.] ... and remind hon members, my colleagues sitting here, and hon Ndude of Cope that the undercapacitated personnel you are talking about are all receiving training. The ANC is taking care of them. In no time, I believe, they will be more capacitated than you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
I also want to talk to hon J J McGluwa of the ID, or is it the DA? You see all the voters are smart. There is no one who can vote if they are not smart. [Time expired.] [Applause.]