Chair, Ministers, the ACDP commends the efforts to expand and improve the capacity of FET colleges and welcomes the R12 billion allocation over the next three years, plus the further R1,3 billion allocation to improve the salaries of FET college educators.
While targets to expand the number of young people studying vocational subjects are ambitious, the ACDP believes that they are necessary. We also concur with the usefulness of shifting the budget from provinces to the national department at this time.
Investing in youth to ensure a skilled and capable workforce to support growth and job creation in South Africa - a key strategic priority for the department - will very definitely require a National Student Financial Aid Scheme, with the capacity and funds to deliver increased access to institutions of higher learning and to have the capacity for retention.
Over the past two years the ACDP has repeatedly highlighted the need to broaden the criteria in terms of which students could qualify for a loan. Our proposal has been that loans should not only be available to certain categories of people, but to any student that is willing to work hard and produce what is required.
We therefore support the recommendation in a recent report to increase the income level for those who qualify, and allow for both complete support for poor students and partial support for other categories, as a step in the right direction. We also note the recent DA support for a voucher system, which has been ACDP policy since as far back as 1994.
Hon Minister, what is the story with regard to the reopening of teacher colleges? How will they factor into this budget? Besides education, many sectors, both public and private, are facing skills shortages but the public-sector crisis directly undermines the ability of government to provide services, including health and emergency services, social services and infrastructure in general. Promises have been made to nursing colleges as well. What involvement will your department have here and does your budget take this into consideration?
The President and the Finance Minister both identified skills development as a vehicle to economic growth. Will the allocation for this financial year enable your department to achieve its goals?
The ACDP will support this Budget Vote, but it is concerned that the new department is chronically underfunded, making the task before us, or before you, hon Minister, excruciatingly difficult. Thank you.