Parliament, Monday, 7 October 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has successfully started its week-long oversight visit programme at the selected schools in the Namaqua Education District of Springbok, Northern Cape, to assess the state of schools.
Explaining the purpose of the oversight visit programme of the committee to the officials of the district and national departments of basic education, the Chairperson of the committee, Ms Joy Maimela, said that the primary purpose of the programme is to assess the state of schooling and their readiness for the upcoming National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in 2024.
She said that in addition to focusing on the state of readiness of schools for the NSC examinations and the state of learner readiness, the committee will also monitor curriculum support and intervention by subject advisory services regarding improving learners’ performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
The committee will also focus on infrastructure (pit latrines, access to water, unsafe structures, and ICT integration), Grade R / ECD site monitoring following the migration shift of 2022, learner-teacher support material delivery in schools, nutrition, learner transport and special schools support, and inclusive education.
Other focus areas include safety and security measures, an update on teaching and general assistants (Youth Employment Initiative), Phase 4 key outcomes, and preparation for the next phase.
The committee visited three schools today, Kharkams Combined School, Nababeep High School and Matjieskloof Intermediate School. Ms Maimela said the committee has noted some well maintained and clean schools that are stretching their budget.
She also said the committee has also noted with concern that some schools do not have proper laboratories or computer rooms with required resources. It heard that those resources that included tablets were stolen some years ago. It also noted that infrastructure generally and hostels are not maintained. Ms Maimela said: “These conditions are troubling. This is worrying and must be addressed.”
Some members of the committee raised questions about the language policy at schools that use Afrikaans as the medium of instruction. It was informed that Afrikaans is the language of the majority at schools where it is the medium of instruction. The committee said there must be a plan in place to accommodate a learner who is unable to speak Afrikaans to ensure that Afrikaans does not make schools inaccessible to certain children.
Ms Maimela said quintile systems in some of the schools should also be reassessed. “You cannot have a quintile 4 or quintile 5 school in poor communities as that disqualifies for subsidies that they should get. No child should be disadvantaged on poverty grounds,” emphasised Ms Maimela.
The committee commended Nababeep High School for increasing the Grade 12 learner performance from 40% two years ago to 83% last year. “We want them to increase it even further above 90%.”
The issue of the lack of security guards at schools was also highlighted by the committee. “We noted with concern the absence of the officials of the provincial Department of Basic Education today during our visit. We maintain that they should have at least sent a representative to answer our questions directed at the provincial department,” added Ms Maimela.
The committee will conclude its visit to the Northern Cape tomorrow at schools in Upington region.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION, MS JOY MAIMELA
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Name: Rajaa Azzakani (Ms)
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E-mail: razzakani@parliament.gov.za
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