Thank you very much, hon Chairperson. I would like to indicate to you that I tried to be as fair in my response as possible. However, if we are going to use performance as a yardstick, we have to take into account the basis of the performance. In last year's matric examinations Gauteng surpassed the Western Cape in terms of performance, and of those amongst the nine provinces that performed better than the previous year, the Western Cape was the worst. That is the reality; there is empirical evidence for it.
So I am not sitting out here in judgement of the Western Cape, but I am saying that there are other provinces that have done extremely well under very difficult circumstances. Let us not sit here in judgement of a province; let us rather say that education is our business, irrespective of where it occurs. The learner in each and every school belongs to us, not on the basis of political affiliation or the domination of a province by a particular political party.
Details regarding special measures in place to address assaults on learners and educators during school hours in 2010
36. Mr T B Beyleveldt (DA) asked the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) How many (a) learners and (b) educators were assaulted during school hours in 2010;
(2) whether any special measures are in place to address these assaults at schools; if not, why not; if so, (a) what special measures and (b) what are the further relevant details?