Deputy Speaker, firstly, to have a better understanding of the performance agreement, it firstly deals with issues of the employment data of the employer, the nature of the job, the description of the job, the qualifications and skills. The second element, which is a very important element particularly for purposes of performance, is a work plan containing key responsibility areas, KRAs, outputs, activities and resource requirements. The third element, which cannot be ignored, is the element of personal development, a personal development plan. The hon member is correct: the agreement was not accepted by Sadtu in 2009 and, ever since, there has been discussion between it and the Department of Basic Education.
The good news is that beyond the performance contracts of principals, deputy principals and heads of department, we now have an agreement. It is in its informal stages where performance agreements would be concluded with all educators, irrespective of whether they are teachers, principals or deputy principals. Secondly, the agreements would no longer be bifurcated, that is, between senior management, or principals and deputy principals on one hand, and teachers on the other hand.
The argument of Sadtu is that all educators should be treated under one agreement, and performance agreements should basically inform each and every element within the education system. Now, the discussions have reached an advanced stage and, to all intents and purposes, have to be formalised in the Education Labour Relations Council, ELRC. Basically, the intention is still to conclude this task by January next year.
What Sadtu has argued for is really the most important element of the work plan that is critical for performance agreement. In other words, what kind of elements should you have in the work plan? It would be the performance standards, the key activities, the targets, the timeframes within which they should be achieved, and the performance indicators. It would also have due regard to the contextual factors.
These discussions, as I have indicated, have advanced extremely well and to all intents and purposes, we are going to get more than we bargained for, not on performance agreements only with the principals, deputy principals and heads of department, but also with all educators. The indications are that this will be supported by all unions. As I have indicated, this falls outside the ELRC and what is, indeed, outstanding is the formalisation of this particular process within the ELRC. I do hope that the hon member takes heart at the enormous strides that have been made and not the pressure that we were subjected to, as alleged or alluded to.