Chairperson, the response could be looked at in three different ways. One is that no learner is obliged to pay fees when his or her parents cannot afford them. That is an exemption. Whether you are in a quintile 1 school or quintile 5 school, it doesn't matter. However, our quintile 1, 2 and 3 schools across the country are no- fee schools. Today we can say that 60% of our learners in all our schools are in no-fee schools. So, that is a huge stride. We can say, for example, that 7,5 million of our learners receive nutrition every day at school. That is a wonderful achievement.
However, coming to the issue that you raised here, the kind of legislative change that is being envisaged has already been discussed at a particular level in the Council of Education Ministers meeting. Where a school has a certain threshold of exemption - say 50% or 60% - the funding model of that particular school has to change. There also has to be compensation for the exemptions that have been provided for that particular school so that the school is not at a disadvantage. That matter has been discussed. There were issues with regard to where the threshold should be. The heads of department are reflecting on the matter, and it will come back to the Council of Education Ministers meeting.
What I want to assure you is that this is not something that is occurring in the minds of people; it is already there. Discussion documents have been prepared and there have been discussions amongst political principals. So, we do hope that sooner rather than later this matter will be resolved in the best interests, especially, of the poorest of the poor. Thank you.
Action taken to address housing backlogs, use of conventional and alternative methods of building houses and provinces currently encountering biggest housing backlog problem
40. Mr H B Groenewald (DA) asked the Minister of Human Settlements:
(1) Whether the government is taking any action to address the housing backlog; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the government intends to continue using conventional methods of building houses; if not, (a) what is the position in this regard and (b) what alternative methods will be used; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) which provinces are currently encountering the biggest housing backlog problem? CO250E