Issued by: Ministry of Education
My attention has been drawn to a media statement by the Deputy Minister of Education, Renier Schoeman MP, on the Education Bills tabled in Parliament this week.
I wish to emphasise that the full Cabinet agreed at its meeting on 2 August 1995 that the National Education Policy Bill be approved for submission to Parliament, subject to the incorporation into the Bill, where possible, of the comments submitted (by Ministers) to myself. This was done. Cabinet further agreed that all other comments be submitted to the Portfolio Committee of Parliament. My officials and I have encouraged other stakeholders to make their views known to the Portfolio Committee.
It is therefore completely misleading to suggest that Cabinet did not approve the Bill or had reservations in doing so.
It is the duty of Deputy Ministers to abide by the decisions of Cabinet. I note that the Deputy Minister supports the objectives of both Bills `as necessary and desirable'. However, he has chosen to make public his personal reservations on the National Education Policy Bill. I regard this as a matter of Ministerial discipline which I shall take up immediately with Mr Schoeman.
Enquiries: Lincoln Mali, Tel: (021) 457350