Hon Chairperson, as indicated, this question is linked to the previous one, Question 53, and the response is as follows. In terms of the draft National Education Evaluation and Development Unit, Needu, Bill which is targeted to be presented to Parliament in June this year, the function of Needu is to assess the school system at four levels, which are the national level, the provincial level, the district level and the school level, in order to identify factors that inhibit effective teaching and learning, to identify best practice and to make recommendations for improvement.
These are the broad areas that Needu is currently dealing with, and the tasks that it is currently piloting and will expand on a system-wide scale once the legislation is approved and the organisation is fully established. So, for example, the issue of inclusive education might be a matter that it would want to pay particular attention to and the legislation would give it the broad scope and powers to be able to do so and to make appropriate recommendations, both to the Minister and to Parliament.
Needu is setting itself up as a facilitator of school improvement, which it plans to effect through providing accurate and authoritative reports on the state of schooling in the country, and making recommendations which align and co-ordinate the work of the Department of Basic Education, the provincial departments, the 81 district offices, and the schools. I thank you, hon Chair.