Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon MECs, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to quote what the former President Nelson Mandela said:
Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation.
I want to quote something else that former President Mandela said:
There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.
Opvoeding en dissipline moet nooit agterwe gelaat word nie. Dit moet nooit vergeet word dat opvoeding en dissipline n aan die hart van elkeen van ons mense is nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Education and discipline should never be neglected. It should never be forgotten that education and discipline are dear to each one of us.]
We need to invest in our youth to ensure a skilled and capable workforce to support growth and job creation.
The ID slams the Department of Higher Education and Training for failing to spend nearly R200 million of its National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, budget over the past years. It is outrageous that in a country where tens of thousands of young people lack the financial resources to pursue further education, thousands of them are unable to access government funding. This is a massive contributing factor to the serious lack of skills among our youth, and therefore to the 70% youth unemployment rate, which continues to render them powerless in our economy.
The NSFAS has largely blamed universities and colleges for the unspent R89,3 million in 2007 and R95,5 million in 2008, saying that they only reported back on the use of funds late in the year, making it difficult to spend the remaining money. The NSFAS also blamed the shortage of suitable candidates for loans.
The ID remains unconvinced that there is a shortage of suitable candidates for the loans and we call on the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Blade Nzimande, to improve information about access to the NSFAS.
We also call on the Minister to lengthen the NSFAS application period from two weeks to three months to give students ample time to apply. Those responsible for distributing NSFAS funds must be held accountable for unspent money because the youth are suffering the consequences of their actions.
The ID supports Minister Nzimande's ordering of a national review into the way money is allocated for bursaries. We support all efforts to prioritise enrolment of more previously disadvantaged students in universities and colleges. However, NFSAS funds should also be prioritised towards those students wishing to enter the areas of studies most urgently needed in our economy.
Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan's first national Budget sees the release of the first budget for the new Department of Higher Education and Training. From April this year the Department of Higher Education and Training will have its own budget and South Africans will be looking at the department to start delivering. The upcoming financial year will see R32 billion allocated to this sector of education, with R19,5 billion to universities, R3,9 billion to FET colleges and R168 million for skills development.
Allow me to say the following:
Dit is goed en wel om teoreties te beplan. Die uitvoer van werk en om toe te sien dat die werk uitgevoer word, is egter van kardinale belang. Die department moet kan monitor en evalueer wat regtig gebeur. Hoe kan 'n onderwyser aan 38 tot 40 kinders in 'n klas persoonlike aandag gee? By 'n primre skool, Vela-Langa in Paballelo, is daar 73 kinders in graad 1. Wanneer gaan daardie onderwyser by almal kan uitkom?
Die betrokkenheid van ons ouers by die voorheenbenadeelde skole is glad nie na wense nie. Ons ouers moet meer belangstelling toon in die opvoeding en ontwikkeling van hul kinders. Die department moet toesien dat daar reg begroot word vir ons skole, sodat daar ook regte fasiliteite by ons skole kan wees. [Tyd verstreke.] Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[It is all very well to plan according to theory. However, carrying out work and ensuring that the work is carried out are of the utmost importance. The department must be able to monitor and evaluate what really happens. How can a teacher give individual attention to 38 to 40 children in a class? At Vela-Langa Primary School in Paballelo there are 73 pupils in Grade 1. When will that teacher get to everyone?
The involvement of our parents at previously disadvantaged schools leaves much to desired. Our parents have to show more interest in the education and development of their children. The department must see to it that proper budgeting for our schools takes place in order to have proper facilities at our schools. [Time expired.] I thank you. [Applause.]]