Date: 24/10/2005
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Title: I Cronje: Report at special sitting of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature
Report by the MEC for Education, Mrs CM Cronje, MPL, at the Special Sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, at Estcourt Community Hall
Mr Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Members
I wish to thank you for affording me this opportunity to brief the Legislature on some pertinent issues my Department has been dealing with in recent times. My report will focus on the following key areas:
* The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12
* Further Education and Training (FET) colleges
* Infrastructure delivery
* Procurement and delivery of textbooks and stationery.
The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12
Honourable members might be aware that we will be implementing a new curriculum in grade 10 next year. The purpose of my briefing is to give you a summary of the key elements of this new National Curriculum Statement.
The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement in grades 10-12 from 2006 to 2008 is a logical conclusion of the curriculum transformation process, which the Government began in 1998, with the implementation of Curriculum 2005 in grade 1.
With the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, we finally close the chapter of education inherited from apartheid and move decisively to a curriculum based on the values of a post-apartheid society and the demands of the 21st century.
The 21st century demands that schools empower learners with the ability to think and solve problems. We are called upon to teach learners how to access information, to judge its worth and be able to use it in their daily lives and in the world of work.
The National Curriculum Statement offers exciting challenges to educators and learners to take charge of their teaching and learning and to be citizens that are able to contribute to reconstruction and development in our country.
The new curriculum sees a major revision of the content of subjects that are currently taught in grades 10 to 12. For example, the subject currently known as Compu-Typing has been transformed into a subject known as Computer Applications Technology, which moves beyond merely teaching learners to type on a computer, but also teaches them key computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases and presentations.
With the introduction of the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, all learners will have to do two languages and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. Learners also have to do a new subject, Life Orientation, which is designed to address issues such as career guidance, personal and physical development, health education and democracy education - all crucial areas for learners who are about to vote for the first time, to proceed to higher education and the world of work and who face challenges related to HIV/AIDS and other illnesses.
Over and above the four compulsory subjects, learners will also be expected to choose any other three subjects from the approved list.
Some of the subjects contained in the National Curriculum Statement will be progressively realised in many of our schools. In this regard, we are currently devising a curriculum redress strategy that will ensure that some subjects, such as Information Technology, Mechanical Technology and Music, that were historically inaccessible to the majority of our learners, are introduced in schools located in poor communities.
The new curriculum will also see the introduction of a new National Senior Certificate, which will replace the current Senior Certificate in 2008.
A recent article in the Weekend Witness cited two professors who claimed that the National Senior Certificate and the new admission requirements for higher education represented a `dumbing down' of standards. It turned out that neither of the two had read the new entry requirements to higher education as published by Higher Education South Africa (HESA), the body that represents university vice-chancellors.
Mr Speaker, I hope that no one in this House commits the same error as the two professors and those who have idealised perceptions of the past. Far from `dumbing down', the new curriculum, the new certificate and the new higher education entry requirements represent a raising of the academic bar and make far greater demands on our learners.
Entry requirements for higher education have been categorised according to national higher certificate, diploma and degree studies.
1. For Higher Certificate studies, the minimum requirement, is a National Senior Certificate, certified by Umalusi.
2. For Diploma studies, the minimum requirement is a National Senior Certificate, with four subjects obtained above 40%.
3. For Degree studies, the minimum requirement is a National Senior Certificate with an achievement rating of at least 50% in four subjects chosen from the following list:
Accounting; Agricultural Sciences; Business Studies; Dramatic Arts; Economics; Engineering Graphics and Design; Geography; History;
Consumer Studies; Information Technology;
Languages; Life Sciences; Mathematics;
Mathematical Literacy; Music; Physical Sciences;
Religion Studies; Visual Arts.
In preparation for the implementation of the curriculum, the national Department of Education (DoE) trained provincial officials. These officials then trained Subject Advisors and lead teachers in our province. Provincial subject-specific orientation workshops were then conducted for teachers. In-depth teacher training will be continuously conducted in the next three years. We are working closely with Higher Education institutions to conduct this in-depth training.
The National Curriculum Statement is currently being adapted to suit learners with special educational needs and will also be implemented in special schools in January 2006.
FET colleges
Mr Speaker, we view our FET colleges as key to skills development targeting both the youth and adults. Initially, the province had 24 single campus colleges. These were merged as part of the national project to transform the shape and size of the FET college sector. Today we have nine merged colleges, with 74 delivery sites (including skills centres).
The following are the merged FET colleges, under which the 74 delivery sites operate: Mthashana; Umfolozi; Umgungundlovu; Thekwini; Esayidi; Sivananda; Majuba; Mnambithi and Coastal.
The FET colleges offer curricula encompassed in study fields such as Engineering; Business Studies; Agriculture; Social Studies; Utility Studies; Languages and Art.
In addition, the skills centres provide programmes such as Computer Literacy; Garment Making; Basic Electricity; Welding; Panel Beating; Motor Mechanics and Plumbing. There are currently about 75 000 students in our FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal. We want to increase this figure significantly as part of a national skills revolution. It is only with a strong skills base that we can realise the 6% economic growth we have been yearning for.
The Government has embarked on a strategy to recapitalise the FET colleges in order to enable them to be more responsive to the skills needs of our economy. In our province, FET colleges are being redirected to respond to the training objectives of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS).
In this regard, each of the colleges has identified certain niche are that would be offered to youth and adults. Examples of this are the moves to develop Maritime Studies and Boat Building at the Coastal FET College and to introduce innovative agriculture and tourism programmes at Mthashana, Esayidi, Mnambithi and Umfolozi.
Mr Speaker, we are very aware that if our mission for FET colleges is to succeed, we have to build partnerships with various role players, including other government departments, local government and the business sector. And this we are pursuing quite vigorously as we proceed with the recapitalisation.
Infrastructure delivery
Our Department's target for infrastructure service delivery for this financial year was to deliver 1 500 classrooms and 2 500 toilets. We have recently completed a mid-year review of service delivery as at the end of the second quarter and report as follows.
As of 30 September 2005 our Department has, through its various Implementing Agents, delivered a total of 1 027 classrooms, which represents 68,5% of our target for the 2005/06 financial year. A further 890 classrooms are currently under construction. Our Department has been faced with a number of challenges this year in consolidating our relationship with our Implementing Agents, dealing with commitments from the previous financial year as well as exploring alternative service delivery mechanisms. We are confident that we are continually reviewing and improving our service delivery strategies and mechanisms in this regard.
Our Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme, which has gained national recognition, has been a fascinating experience for us and has served as a steep learning curve for all involved. There have been the inevitable teething problem, but we are confident that not only will the service delivery of 655 classrooms targeted under this programme take place this financial year but we will exceed our social responsibility to the people of this province through targeted procurement of the services of small, previously disadvantaged and women-owned businesses.
Our Department has taken a proactive approach to assisting these contractors. Many have faced problems of securing access to finance, not having the appropriate building management skills and understanding of contract documentation. We have worked together to ensure that these obstacles to service delivery are dealt with effectively.
Through the Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme, we have implemented an HIV and AIDS awareness programme extremely successfully. HIV and AIDS awareness training for all contractors and their staff employed through this programme was compulsory. We have since had numerous requests from both schools and communities alike to extend this successful programme to include a larger audience. We will be working closely with the Department of Health in this regard.
With respect to the provision of water and sanitation facilities, we have delivered a total of 985 toilets at the end of the second quarter. This represents 39,4% of our target for this financial year. Although this is behind our target of 50% at this stage, we have a further 2 994 toilets currently under construction, the majority of which shall be completed within the current financial year. We are confident therefore that our target will be reached this year.
Our Department has recently been granted an additional R100 million through the Province's Poverty Alleviation Fund to further assist with the provision of water and sanitation facilities to those schools that do not have access to such basic services. Negotiations have been completed with the four Implementing Agents currently involved with the Water and Sanitation in Schools Programme. The approach that will be adopted, mirrors the Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme where the Department will offer closer, more hands-on support to emerging contractors.
Our Department has benefited, in no small measure, from a National Treasury and Provincial Treasury initiative, the Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Programme (IDIP), which has assisted in focusing our efforts towards more efficient infrastructure planning and service delivery.
Finally, I would like to briefly mention the new system for procuring and delivering textbooks and stationery that we adopted this year.
Before doing so, I wish to remind the House that public schools administered by the Department of Education can be divided into Section 21 and Non-Section 21 schools, in terms of the South African Schools Act.
The Department has been procuring textbooks and stationery for Non-Section 21 schools as required in the law. Section 21 schools are supposed to procure textbooks and stationery out of the budgets allocated to them in terms of the School Funding Norms.
However, stories abound some principals of Section 21 schools buying other goods and services using funds allocated for textbooks and stationery.
The Department also faced serious problems in regard to the non-delivery of textbooks and stationery by a myriad of suppliers whose services were previously used.
This lack of control over the purchase and distribution of the learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) by the Department and lack of capacity were identified as the culprits that robbed our children of their education. It is frightening to visit a school in July and find that the matrics are still waiting for their textbooks.
Previously the Department used to hand over the school requisitions to 27 suppliers and thereafter it completely lost all control of the supply chain. As a result we could not, at any given time, tell with any certainty where the process was and whether LTSM had been delivered to our schools.
After intensive research it was decided to outsource the service to a managing agent that would enable the tracking and tracing of deliveries.
Not only will the new system allow the Department to manage orders and deliveries but it will also enable it to control the retrieval rate of books. For the first time, the Department will know exactly how many books a school has ordered, which will assist officials to check orders against the enrolment in schools.
According to the new system, 27 `suppliers' - whose existing contracts are to expire by the end of October this year - will be reappointed to concentrate on the distribution portion of the work. However, the managing agent, Edu Solutions, will take over managing functions, such as developing a catalogue, ordering and storage of the books, capturing of requisitions, checking and correcting placements of orders and will constantly report on the delivery system. Edu Solutions on behalf of the Department will buy books directly from the publishers. This will also ensure that a significant part of the discount we get from the publishers flows back into our budget.
Distributors, who do not deliver within 48 hours of their deadline, can lose their contracts immediately. To ensure that all parties play according to the rules suppliers will be given devices to take a photograph of the principal when the books are handed over to the principal. The principal's voice will also be recorded and his/her signature taken as proof of delivery.
For the first time, we will be able to monitor the spending patterns of the Section 21 schools. In the past, the Department relied on the accuracy of financial statements prepared by the schools and could therefore not always verify whether the learning and teaching support materials portion of the norms and standards allocation had been spent on books and stationery.
Section 21 schools were given their norms and standards allocations in May/June 2005 and should by now already have ordered their books. With the new curriculum for grades 7 and 10, the Department decided to intervene to ensure that textbooks reach all learners, including learners in Section 21 schools.
I wish to alert honourable members that most of our Section 21 schools are in the Zululand region - a predominantly rural area.
Given the sad history of the non-delivery of textbooks in some of these schools, we took a decision to assist Section 21 schools by ordering the books for them for these two grades through Edu Solution. Although the decision to intervene was taken rather late in the day by the Department, which could delay the delivery of books in the Section 21 schools that placed orders through the Department's managing agent, I'm pleased to say that in many of these schools, learners will have textbooks in their hands for the first time in many years.
Deliveries for schools with storage and proper security facilities will start in a week's time, whilst the rest will receive their books and stationery from the beginning of January 2006.
I am very confident that textbooks and stationery will be delivered on time at the overwhelming majority of our Non-Section 21 schools, enabling us to fulfil our mandate.
The brief report I am presenting to this House indeed gives testimony to the opening of the doors of learning to all our people in general and the poorest of the poor in particular.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the MEC for Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
24 October 2005
Source: KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
Title: I Cronje: Report at special sitting of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature
Report by the MEC for Education, Mrs CM Cronje, MPL, at the Special Sitting of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature, at Estcourt Community Hall
Mr Speaker
Honourable Premier
Honourable Members
I wish to thank you for affording me this opportunity to brief the Legislature on some pertinent issues my Department has been dealing with in recent times. My report will focus on the following key areas:
* The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12
* Further Education and Training (FET) colleges
* Infrastructure delivery
* Procurement and delivery of textbooks and stationery.
The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12
Honourable members might be aware that we will be implementing a new curriculum in grade 10 next year. The purpose of my briefing is to give you a summary of the key elements of this new National Curriculum Statement.
The implementation of the National Curriculum Statement in grades 10-12 from 2006 to 2008 is a logical conclusion of the curriculum transformation process, which the Government began in 1998, with the implementation of Curriculum 2005 in grade 1.
With the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, we finally close the chapter of education inherited from apartheid and move decisively to a curriculum based on the values of a post-apartheid society and the demands of the 21st century.
The 21st century demands that schools empower learners with the ability to think and solve problems. We are called upon to teach learners how to access information, to judge its worth and be able to use it in their daily lives and in the world of work.
The National Curriculum Statement offers exciting challenges to educators and learners to take charge of their teaching and learning and to be citizens that are able to contribute to reconstruction and development in our country.
The new curriculum sees a major revision of the content of subjects that are currently taught in grades 10 to 12. For example, the subject currently known as Compu-Typing has been transformed into a subject known as Computer Applications Technology, which moves beyond merely teaching learners to type on a computer, but also teaches them key computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases and presentations.
With the introduction of the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12, all learners will have to do two languages and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. Learners also have to do a new subject, Life Orientation, which is designed to address issues such as career guidance, personal and physical development, health education and democracy education - all crucial areas for learners who are about to vote for the first time, to proceed to higher education and the world of work and who face challenges related to HIV/AIDS and other illnesses.
Over and above the four compulsory subjects, learners will also be expected to choose any other three subjects from the approved list.
Some of the subjects contained in the National Curriculum Statement will be progressively realised in many of our schools. In this regard, we are currently devising a curriculum redress strategy that will ensure that some subjects, such as Information Technology, Mechanical Technology and Music, that were historically inaccessible to the majority of our learners, are introduced in schools located in poor communities.
The new curriculum will also see the introduction of a new National Senior Certificate, which will replace the current Senior Certificate in 2008.
A recent article in the Weekend Witness cited two professors who claimed that the National Senior Certificate and the new admission requirements for higher education represented a `dumbing down' of standards. It turned out that neither of the two had read the new entry requirements to higher education as published by Higher Education South Africa (HESA), the body that represents university vice-chancellors.
Mr Speaker, I hope that no one in this House commits the same error as the two professors and those who have idealised perceptions of the past. Far from `dumbing down', the new curriculum, the new certificate and the new higher education entry requirements represent a raising of the academic bar and make far greater demands on our learners.
Entry requirements for higher education have been categorised according to national higher certificate, diploma and degree studies.
1. For Higher Certificate studies, the minimum requirement, is a National Senior Certificate, certified by Umalusi.
2. For Diploma studies, the minimum requirement is a National Senior Certificate, with four subjects obtained above 40%.
3. For Degree studies, the minimum requirement is a National Senior Certificate with an achievement rating of at least 50% in four subjects chosen from the following list:
Accounting; Agricultural Sciences; Business Studies; Dramatic Arts; Economics; Engineering Graphics and Design; Geography; History;
Consumer Studies; Information Technology;
Languages; Life Sciences; Mathematics;
Mathematical Literacy; Music; Physical Sciences;
Religion Studies; Visual Arts.
In preparation for the implementation of the curriculum, the national Department of Education (DoE) trained provincial officials. These officials then trained Subject Advisors and lead teachers in our province. Provincial subject-specific orientation workshops were then conducted for teachers. In-depth teacher training will be continuously conducted in the next three years. We are working closely with Higher Education institutions to conduct this in-depth training.
The National Curriculum Statement is currently being adapted to suit learners with special educational needs and will also be implemented in special schools in January 2006.
FET colleges
Mr Speaker, we view our FET colleges as key to skills development targeting both the youth and adults. Initially, the province had 24 single campus colleges. These were merged as part of the national project to transform the shape and size of the FET college sector. Today we have nine merged colleges, with 74 delivery sites (including skills centres).
The following are the merged FET colleges, under which the 74 delivery sites operate: Mthashana; Umfolozi; Umgungundlovu; Thekwini; Esayidi; Sivananda; Majuba; Mnambithi and Coastal.
The FET colleges offer curricula encompassed in study fields such as Engineering; Business Studies; Agriculture; Social Studies; Utility Studies; Languages and Art.
In addition, the skills centres provide programmes such as Computer Literacy; Garment Making; Basic Electricity; Welding; Panel Beating; Motor Mechanics and Plumbing. There are currently about 75 000 students in our FET colleges in KwaZulu-Natal. We want to increase this figure significantly as part of a national skills revolution. It is only with a strong skills base that we can realise the 6% economic growth we have been yearning for.
The Government has embarked on a strategy to recapitalise the FET colleges in order to enable them to be more responsive to the skills needs of our economy. In our province, FET colleges are being redirected to respond to the training objectives of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS).
In this regard, each of the colleges has identified certain niche are that would be offered to youth and adults. Examples of this are the moves to develop Maritime Studies and Boat Building at the Coastal FET College and to introduce innovative agriculture and tourism programmes at Mthashana, Esayidi, Mnambithi and Umfolozi.
Mr Speaker, we are very aware that if our mission for FET colleges is to succeed, we have to build partnerships with various role players, including other government departments, local government and the business sector. And this we are pursuing quite vigorously as we proceed with the recapitalisation.
Infrastructure delivery
Our Department's target for infrastructure service delivery for this financial year was to deliver 1 500 classrooms and 2 500 toilets. We have recently completed a mid-year review of service delivery as at the end of the second quarter and report as follows.
As of 30 September 2005 our Department has, through its various Implementing Agents, delivered a total of 1 027 classrooms, which represents 68,5% of our target for the 2005/06 financial year. A further 890 classrooms are currently under construction. Our Department has been faced with a number of challenges this year in consolidating our relationship with our Implementing Agents, dealing with commitments from the previous financial year as well as exploring alternative service delivery mechanisms. We are confident that we are continually reviewing and improving our service delivery strategies and mechanisms in this regard.
Our Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme, which has gained national recognition, has been a fascinating experience for us and has served as a steep learning curve for all involved. There have been the inevitable teething problem, but we are confident that not only will the service delivery of 655 classrooms targeted under this programme take place this financial year but we will exceed our social responsibility to the people of this province through targeted procurement of the services of small, previously disadvantaged and women-owned businesses.
Our Department has taken a proactive approach to assisting these contractors. Many have faced problems of securing access to finance, not having the appropriate building management skills and understanding of contract documentation. We have worked together to ensure that these obstacles to service delivery are dealt with effectively.
Through the Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme, we have implemented an HIV and AIDS awareness programme extremely successfully. HIV and AIDS awareness training for all contractors and their staff employed through this programme was compulsory. We have since had numerous requests from both schools and communities alike to extend this successful programme to include a larger audience. We will be working closely with the Department of Health in this regard.
With respect to the provision of water and sanitation facilities, we have delivered a total of 985 toilets at the end of the second quarter. This represents 39,4% of our target for this financial year. Although this is behind our target of 50% at this stage, we have a further 2 994 toilets currently under construction, the majority of which shall be completed within the current financial year. We are confident therefore that our target will be reached this year.
Our Department has recently been granted an additional R100 million through the Province's Poverty Alleviation Fund to further assist with the provision of water and sanitation facilities to those schools that do not have access to such basic services. Negotiations have been completed with the four Implementing Agents currently involved with the Water and Sanitation in Schools Programme. The approach that will be adopted, mirrors the Fast-Track Classroom Construction Programme where the Department will offer closer, more hands-on support to emerging contractors.
Our Department has benefited, in no small measure, from a National Treasury and Provincial Treasury initiative, the Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Programme (IDIP), which has assisted in focusing our efforts towards more efficient infrastructure planning and service delivery.
Finally, I would like to briefly mention the new system for procuring and delivering textbooks and stationery that we adopted this year.
Before doing so, I wish to remind the House that public schools administered by the Department of Education can be divided into Section 21 and Non-Section 21 schools, in terms of the South African Schools Act.
The Department has been procuring textbooks and stationery for Non-Section 21 schools as required in the law. Section 21 schools are supposed to procure textbooks and stationery out of the budgets allocated to them in terms of the School Funding Norms.
However, stories abound some principals of Section 21 schools buying other goods and services using funds allocated for textbooks and stationery.
The Department also faced serious problems in regard to the non-delivery of textbooks and stationery by a myriad of suppliers whose services were previously used.
This lack of control over the purchase and distribution of the learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) by the Department and lack of capacity were identified as the culprits that robbed our children of their education. It is frightening to visit a school in July and find that the matrics are still waiting for their textbooks.
Previously the Department used to hand over the school requisitions to 27 suppliers and thereafter it completely lost all control of the supply chain. As a result we could not, at any given time, tell with any certainty where the process was and whether LTSM had been delivered to our schools.
After intensive research it was decided to outsource the service to a managing agent that would enable the tracking and tracing of deliveries.
Not only will the new system allow the Department to manage orders and deliveries but it will also enable it to control the retrieval rate of books. For the first time, the Department will know exactly how many books a school has ordered, which will assist officials to check orders against the enrolment in schools.
According to the new system, 27 `suppliers' - whose existing contracts are to expire by the end of October this year - will be reappointed to concentrate on the distribution portion of the work. However, the managing agent, Edu Solutions, will take over managing functions, such as developing a catalogue, ordering and storage of the books, capturing of requisitions, checking and correcting placements of orders and will constantly report on the delivery system. Edu Solutions on behalf of the Department will buy books directly from the publishers. This will also ensure that a significant part of the discount we get from the publishers flows back into our budget.
Distributors, who do not deliver within 48 hours of their deadline, can lose their contracts immediately. To ensure that all parties play according to the rules suppliers will be given devices to take a photograph of the principal when the books are handed over to the principal. The principal's voice will also be recorded and his/her signature taken as proof of delivery.
For the first time, we will be able to monitor the spending patterns of the Section 21 schools. In the past, the Department relied on the accuracy of financial statements prepared by the schools and could therefore not always verify whether the learning and teaching support materials portion of the norms and standards allocation had been spent on books and stationery.
Section 21 schools were given their norms and standards allocations in May/June 2005 and should by now already have ordered their books. With the new curriculum for grades 7 and 10, the Department decided to intervene to ensure that textbooks reach all learners, including learners in Section 21 schools.
I wish to alert honourable members that most of our Section 21 schools are in the Zululand region - a predominantly rural area.
Given the sad history of the non-delivery of textbooks in some of these schools, we took a decision to assist Section 21 schools by ordering the books for them for these two grades through Edu Solution. Although the decision to intervene was taken rather late in the day by the Department, which could delay the delivery of books in the Section 21 schools that placed orders through the Department's managing agent, I'm pleased to say that in many of these schools, learners will have textbooks in their hands for the first time in many years.
Deliveries for schools with storage and proper security facilities will start in a week's time, whilst the rest will receive their books and stationery from the beginning of January 2006.
I am very confident that textbooks and stationery will be delivered on time at the overwhelming majority of our Non-Section 21 schools, enabling us to fulfil our mandate.
The brief report I am presenting to this House indeed gives testimony to the opening of the doors of learning to all our people in general and the poorest of the poor in particular.
I thank you.
Issued by: Office of the MEC for Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government
24 October 2005
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