The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education will visit two education districts in KwaZulu-Natal next week as part of its oversight mandate to assess school readiness for the 2017 academic year.

The Committee will conduct oversight visits in the iLembe and King Cetshwayo education districts from Monday, 30 January 2017, to Friday, 3 February 2017.

Committee Chairperson Ms Nomalungelo Gina said the framework for the school readiness visit is guided by key interventions and priorities for the basic education sector, to ensure that enabling conditions for quality teaching and learning are established.

The Committee will among other things, focus on the state of the school environment, the admission and registration of learners, the provision of learner teacher support material, staff establishment, school improvement plans and the availability of learner transport and a school nutrition programme.

The Committee will also assess key targets for improved learner outcomes, including the trebling of the number of Grade 12 learners achieving university entrance passes in mathematics and physical science by 2030.

The Committee will meet with provincial and district education officials, school governing bodies and organised labour. Several schools in the districts will also be visited.

Please find attached the draft programme for the week.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Ms Nomalungelo Gina