The Committee was told that weaknesses in monitoring result in inaccurate data for budget planning (for example, confirmation of the number of grade R's at schools, closed schools, and farm schools will assist the Eastern Cape's Department of Education in accurate budget planning); staff shortage in the NSNP Directorate and in some districts is exacerbated by the absence of a Director for NSNP and this affects implementation and management of the programme generally; and labour unrest in the department at Head Office has an impact on the timely processing of payments and delays in awarding of tenders.