Chairperson, hon members and the public at large, having been briefed by the Department of Basic Education and having conducted an oversight visit to the Eastern Cape, where we interacted with various role- players and stakeholders, including the MEC for education in the Eastern Cape, the chairperson and members of the provincial portfolio committee on education, the head of department, HOD, and officials of the Eastern Cape department of education, the convener of the intervention task team, officials of the Eastern Cape department of roads and public works, and various teacher unions, as well as principals, educators, representatives of learners, parents and members of school governing bodies of certain schools in Bisho and Libode in the Eastern Cape, the Select Committee on Education and Recreation recommends the following.
First, the NCOP should support and approve the intervention by the Department of Basic Education in the Eastern Cape department of education in terms of section 100(1)(b)of the Constitution.
Second, the intervention should be conducted in the spirit of co-operative governance, with the Eastern Cape province remaining the key pillar of service provision and without displacing the provincial sphere of government. The intervention must be conducted with a collaborative approach to provide support and direction to the provincial department of education to bring about a sustainable turnaround and ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the educational service in the province.
Third, the affairs of the provincial department of education should be investigated as a matter of urgency to establish whether any provision of the Public Finance Management Act, Act No 1 of 1999, or any other legislation has been contravened. We also recommend that allegations of fraud, corruption and maladministration in the department be investigated urgently and that appropriate action and steps be taken against any perpetrators.
Fourth, the Department of Basic Education, in collaboration with the Eastern Cape department of education, should provide the council with the following: a comprehensive problem analysis, which also sets out the root causes of the challenges; the final intervention plan, indicating the corrective measures taken or to be taken to address the challenges; details of the functions or responsibilities that have been assumed or taken over and by whom they were assumed or taken over, as well as details of all delegations of powers, functions or duties and to whom they were delegated; a comprehensive report within 14 days on the progress made since the intervention began and, thereafter, quarterly reports on the progress.
An audit must be provided of all backlogs in respect of proper school infrastructure and facilities, or the lack thereof, as well as a comprehensive programme, with timeframes, to eradicate such backlogs. This must include the eradication of mud schools. Thereafter, the council must be provided with quarterly reports on the progress of the eradication of such backlogs in infrastructure.
It must be ensured that all outstanding learner support materials, including all books, are delivered to schools as a matter of urgency, in order to facilitate effective teaching and learning. In future, all learner support materials must be delivered to schools by not later than the first day of the new academic year.
Furthermore, it must be ensured that teacher union meetings and department workshops to be attended by educators are held after hours in order to avoid the disruption of teaching and learning time.
Lastly, the council must review the intervention regularly and make further recommendations to the national executive if and when necessary.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.