Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, hon Minister, MECs, hon members of the NCOP and guests, I feel honoured today to be part of the House to lead in the discussion of the most important element in our country, which is higher education.
In the past, regrettably, we never had a choice in the education system that we wanted in our country. But now, through the ANC-led government, we do. As the Freedom Charter states, "The doors of learning and culture shall be opened!"
Why is poverty so widespread and the unemployment rate so high? To answer this question could take me the whole day, but allow me to give the factors that lead to that. The curriculum we had or that was designed for us did not focus on the needs of the country. In other words, most learners completed their Grade 12, but that did not help them because they were not skilled enough to face the outside world.
The ANC, correctly, has a clear position in this regard, and it is that education and training should be basic human rights, that all individuals should have access to lifelong education and training, regardless of race, class, gender, age, sexual orientation, or physical and mental disability.
In other words, every child has the right to be educated. This is embodied in our manifesto in terms of which children have free and compulsory education from Grade 1 to Grade 12. The government provides schools with reading and writing materials, stationery and feeding schemes for free. It even intends to extend the feeding schemes to secondary schools.
The ANC government is also going to provide accommodation for farm learners who travel long distances to schools. Our township schools are being improved with facilities that cater for quality education. Libraries are being built in rural townships to ensure that learners have access to reading materials, computers, and the Internet, in order to improve technology in disadvantaged towns. For example, in Edenville a highly resourced library is in the process of being built. By the way, Edenville is the area I come from in the Free State.
The government of the ANC has also introduced inclusive education in which learners with disabilities attend schools with other learners even though they need special attention. Educators trained in special needs are doing this, and in district offices there is a section called inclusive education. This section takes care of learners with family and personal problems and also assists child-headed households in getting grants in order to eliminate early pregnancy.
Adult basic education is also functional in terms of increasing the level of literacy in our brothers, sisters and parents who were denied the opportunity to learn by factors in the apartheid education system.
Regarding the issue of school governance, the ANC government established the school governing body as a structure with stated powers which takes the lead in the governance of schools. Amongst other things, they are responsible for appointing educators, finances and discipline on the part of learners.
The school governing bodies are trained to ensure that our parents have a role in the education of their children. This, in turn, eases the burden on educators and principals.
The new curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement, is designed to skill learners so that after Grade 12 they become ready to work. This also helps parents because it focuses on the social and educational aspects. One can take the subject of life orientation as a learning area which focuses on the life of a learner. A number of learning areas have been introduced so that there is a variety when it comes to subject choices. The country will benefit because a number of economists and scientists are going to be produced.
The government is also going to provide laptops to teachers in order to enhance their technological and IT skills from the early education stage.
For the first time, our country has two Ministers of Education, namely the Minister of Higher Education and Training and the Minister of Basic Education. This shows that there is going to be transformation in our basic colleges, our universities of technology, or former technikons, and our universities. Government has also extended its funding to universities and technikons to ensure that deserving learners can pursue their studies, irrespective of their socioeconomic background. This scheme is called the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. It will increase the graduate output in areas where there are skills shortages.
All of this is contained in the ANC manifesto, and I am proud to say that the ANC is going to go the extra mile in ensuring that the quality of education improves because we all know that education is lifelong. We all know that education remains the most significant area for youth development and emancipation. What the department needs is our support and not irrelevant criticism.
Despite all the strengths I have mentioned, it would be fair enough to say that there are still challenges that must be addressed in ensuring the attainment of quality education. There is a shortage of science and technology teachers. As good as the National Curriculum Statement is as a curriculum, teachers must be well trained and skills must be well resourced.
There is a lack of discipline on the part of learners at schools. The ANC government must strengthen disciplinary measures in education policies - for instance, the SA Schools Act - without using corporal punishment. The graduate output in skills areas must be increased. This includes measures to streamline sector education and training authorities, Setas. Teachers' colleges must be reopened. Sanitation facilities must be improved, including the provision of clean water, strong buildings and infrastructure in rural schools.
There should be a rural allowance for teachers who come from far-off places as a motivation for going the extra mile, for example working on Saturdays and during holidays. Another challenge is the training of early childhood education teachers. In addition, the quality of scarce skills education must be improved. Maths, science, technology and English should be given special priority.
In conclusion, I want to recommit myself by saying that the ANC government will always ensure that quality education is provided, as is required of us by the President. Most important of all: Together we can do more. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]