NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 2319
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 29/11/09
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER 29-2009)
Dr JC Kloppers- Lourens (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) Whether she intends implementing a longer school year for
learners to resolve the problems in the education system; if
not, why not; if so, when;
(2) whether the issue of school management and the many vacant posts
for headmasters will be dealt with as a matter of urgency; if
not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW3030E
REPLY:
1) The Minister does not intend implementing a longer school year. The
current 200 day school year is in line with international practice.
The Ministerâs focus is on ensuring that more effective us is made of
the days we currently have in a school year. The Quality Learning and
Teaching Campaign (QLTC) is aimed at achieving that.
On the issue of management, the Department is taking principals and
aspiring principals through an Advanced Certificate in Education in
School Leadership, to improve the quality of leadership in schools.
Selected candidates receive full bursaries for the course. The
department is planning to finance about 1330 principals in the ACE
programme in 16 Higher Education institutions across the country.
(2) As at the end of October 2009, the Department of Basic Education
recorded 5200 vacant principal posts.
[Source: PERSAL - October 2009]
The filling of such posts is a provincial competency since they are the
employer. Provincial Department of Education advertises promotional posts
on a regular basis.
It must however be noted that no Principal post remains vacant while the
process of recruitment is underway. There is always an acting official
who takes up the responsibilities and accountability of the principal
position until the post is filled in a permanent capacity.
On the issue of management, the Department is taking principals and
aspiring principals through the ACE School Leadership qualification to
improve the quality of leadership in schools. Selected candidates receive
full bursaries for the course. The department is planning to finance
about 1330 principals in the ACE programme in 16 Higher Education
institutions across the country.
Following on the Presidential interaction with school principals, the
Minister has reconfigured the Council of Education Ministers (CEM) into 3
Clusters to deal effectively with most issue raised by the principals in
order for the department to support them better.
Compiler: Mr J Ndlebe Ms L Munday
Ext 5373 6079
MS P TYOBEKA
DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL: GENERAL EDUCATION
DATE:
MR S PADAYACHEE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL: SYSTEM PLANNING AND MONITORING
DATE:
MR B SOOBRAYAN
ACTING DIRECTOR- GENERAL: BASIC EDUCATION
DATE:
QUESTION 2319 APPROVED/ AMENDED/ NOT APPROVED
MRS A MOTSHEKGA, MP
MINISTER OF BASIC EDUCATION
DATE: