Chair, I am going to speak Afrikaans. Would you like to switch on your microphone?
Minister, die werklike uitvalsyfer, korrek bereken vir die afgelope drie jaar, tussen 2007 en 2009, wissel tussen 76% en 78%. Baie redes is gegee, maar die leerders wat leerprobleme het, dra sekerlik by tot hierdie ho, skokkende uitvalsyfer.
Is u bewus daarvan dat 10% van alle leerders in ons skole aan aandagafleibaarheidsindroom ly? Tans word daar geen remedirende werk in ons skole gedoen om hierdie leerders te help nie. U departement het alle hulpsentrums gesluit, alle hulpklasse is gestop en spesialis-onderwysers bestaan gewoon nie meer nie. Hierdie behoefte word dus nie aangespreek nie. Wat is u departement van plan om te doen om hierdie leerders by te staan, te begelei en te help? (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Minister, the actual drop-out rate, when correctly calculated for the past three years, between 2007 and 2009, varies between 76% and 78%. Many reasons were given, but the learners with learning disabilities are certainly contributing to this shockingly high drop-out rate.
Are you aware that 10% of all learners in our schools are suffering from attention deficit disorder? Currently, no remedial work is being done in our schools to support these learners. Your department closed all help centres and all support classes were stopped, and specialist teachers simply do not exist any more. This need, therefore, is not being addressed. What plans does your department have to support, guide and help these learners?]