Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister and hon members, we welcome the large amount that has been budgeted for education. The UDM remains convinced that education is the key to our country's long-term success and prosperity. We are deeply concerned, however, that this huge budget does not translate into proper education, as we may expect.
Allow me to highlight some of the UDM's major concerns which, we believe, are the factors leading to overall poor education results.
Firstly, there is the issue of "quiet corruption", as the World Bank's Chief Economist calls the culture of absenteeism. This can only be addressed with the introduction of school inspectors.
Secondly, there is the issue of learner and teacher transport. Those schools with poor results are often schools that pupils and teachers have to travel long distances to reach. The lack of proper and reliable transport plays a role in the overall results of such schools.
Thirdly, we are concerned about the lack of school guidance and counselling in our schools. This is a very important aspect of education. School psychologists and counsellors will assist children with problems that can really not be solved by an ordinary teacher in the classroom. Coupled with this, we need remedial teaching to ensure that we give those pupils help when they need it, not after they have failed.
Lastly, there is the continued lack of genuine classrooms and facilities. Many current school buildings are dilapidated or built from mud and inferior materials. Again, this is a problem in marginalised areas, which means we are failing to provide an opportunity to improve the children born in poverty.
We welcome the introduction of additional tests at Grades 3, 6, and 9. It is a positive step, Minister - but only if correctly implemented. We should not have the problems we experience when matric students are writing exams. These tests shouldn't really be like matric examinations, but diagnostic, to assist teachers to help learners in the classroom. Once we run around delivering papers and such things, we are going to have a big mess.
To conclude, allow me to express our concern about the gap between good matric results and the same students failing dismally at the institutions of higher learning. This trend is an indication of an underlying weakness in the school system. We must ensure that our children leave matric with genuine skills and the knowledge to enter the job market or to continue with their studies at institutions of higher learning. I thank you. [Applause.]