(1)Given that budget adjustments were made in response to COVID-19 and its impact, resulting in the decrease of the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges budget, while the infrastructure efficiency grant is also projected to decrease, as presented in Budget Vote 17, what are the implications of the specified adjustments on creating a competent workforce, which is one of the objectives of the National Development Plan and the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan;
2) how do the specified budget reductions affect the employability of graduates, especially from TVET colleges, which enrol over 700 000 students, mainly from economically disadvantaged households;
(3) what measures has his department put in place to ensure that targets set for the Department of Basic Education will be reached, despite challenges such as COVID-19?