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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the establishment of a task team to tackle the persistent problems facing the Eastern Cape Provincial Education Department. However, the task team has been staffed largely by political heavyweights, such as Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe and Education Minister Angie Motshekga. Education specialists from outside government are worryingly absent.

While the DA believes that there are multiple reasons for the collapse of the province’s education system, the key missing ingredient from the system is accountability and educational expertise. The Zuma administration’s determination to continue with its disastrous policy of cadre deployment, and place political patronage above merit and experience, has undermined service delivery and eroded accountability. The DA calls on President Zuma to assure the South African people that this task team will take the tough political steps necessary to hold poorly performing officials accountable for their actions. Just as students face predictable consequences for poor performance, so too should provincial officials who fail to assure that their students receive an excellent education.

Just last week, the ANC again illustrated its disdain for individual accountability and its determination to place political considerations above delivery. In failing to act on the recommendations of the Public Protector and take action against Hessequa Mayor Christopher Taute, who the Public Protector found to be guilty of misconduct and abuse of power, the ANC sent a powerful message about its attitude towards accountability.

The ANC appears incapable of disciplining individual officials from its own party, yet this is precisely what will be necessary if President Zuma and his task team want to have any impact on the quality of Eastern Cape education.

The DA recognizes that turning around the Eastern Cape education system will take time, resources and courage. Getting textbooks to students on time, eradicating mud schools through infrastructure development, training teachers to reach their full potential, and insisting on quality are also crucial aspects to fixing the province’s education fortunes. But these goals will not be achieved if officials do not feel a sense of responsibility for their performance and if no one holds them accountable when they fail.