The Head of Department (HOD) submitted apologies from the MEC for Education due to prior commitments, as well as the members of the Provincial Portfolio Committee on Education who were abroad. The HOD thanked the Portfolio Committee for the opportunity to engage with the Department at this level. He reiterated that the classroom remained the centre-piece for all activities of the Department; remaining the focus area. The HOD spoke broadly about interventions from the Department since 2010, the last visit by the Portfolio Committee. The Portfolio Committee had raised the following issues, among others that required the Department's attention: