The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education conducted oversight visits to underperforming districts in Limpopo, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape between 14 January and 24 January 2013. The purpose of the oversight was to assess the state of school readiness for 2013 in these districts and provinces. The framework for the visits was guided by key interventions and priorities set out in major government plans to ensure that enabling conditions for quality teaching and learning are established. In this regard, the Committee focused on critical areas such as the state of the school environment; the supply and training of teachers; readiness to implement the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) with emphasis on the Intermediate Phase; the state of admission and registration of learners; the delivery of textbooks, workbooks and stationery; the functionality of school governance and management bodies; and, the availability of learner transport and school nutrition to qualifying learners.