In closing, I must say that overall, South Africans have a government which knows the schooling system well, that learns from national and international experience when reporting on its successes and is brave and honest enough to acknowledge the significant challenges that it faces. All South Africans should take pride in that. In the last few years, both national and international data - not me - pointed to the fact that we are on the upward improvement path. The choices we have made over the years have not always been easy. However, on the whole they have been right ones and we are beginning to enjoy the fruits of our efforts.
International results, not me, confirmed that there were significant improvements in maths and science in 2011. That is why they are not talking about it; because it is something positive. If it was negative, they would be hopping up and down, saying, yes, you have not improved. We have improved. [Applause.] South Africa's improvement is seen in terms of the largest learner performance improvement compared to other countries in the last decade. We have improved the number of enrolled learners and doubled the number of matriculants. We are on track. When you talk about textbooks, say where we were. In 2007, our rate of delivery was at 45% and in 2011 we exceeded 80%. [Applause.]
Mr Madisha, when we procured textbooks in Limpopo, we saved almost R800 million without putting it in any plastic bag. It went back to Treasury. [Laughter.] There are better policies and teacher development plans. I think my colleagues have said it; let us not tan all teachers with the same brush. We have good teachers who have produced distinctions that we are proud of.
In the past, when I was a teacher, I had a learner who had 4 distinctions. This learner was made to repeat matric because an African child could not get distinctions. Under this government, thousands of distinctions are obtained and we celebrate when black learners pass. We don't ask them to repeat because we don't believe that black learners cannot pass. [Applause.]
Therefore, we are saying, rather than doing rote learning and taking challenges minus successes, let us be honest and say, indeed, under this government, the future is bright and tomorrow will be even better than today. So, hon members, I thank you very much. I wish to say to South Africans, long live the ANC! Long live! [Interjections.] [Applause.]
Debate concluded.