Speaker, the ANC welcomes the government's drive to open the Siyabuswa Training College campus in Mpumalanga, as well as its commitment to further open three more teacher education campuses in KwaZulu- Natal, the Eastern Cape, and Limpopo next year.
The ANC believes that this move will not only help to overcome teacher shortages but will also further contribute to the improvement of the quality of our education, as well as the elimination of disparities in our education. This initiative is in line with the ANC's 2009 election manifesto, which commits the ANC government to embark on the reopening of teacher training colleges, as a means of getting closer to the target of producing approximately 18 000 new teachers annually, so as to meet our national standards. Thus the ANC commends the government for opening the colleges, as this will go a long way in contributing towards bringing quality education, as well as qualified teachers, to our public schools. Thank you. [Applause.]