DEPT OF TRANSPORT BRIEFING ON SCHOLAR TRANSPORT TO THE PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT 30 AUGUST 2011

PRESENTATION OUTLINE Progress Way forward Emerging policy issues and concerns Way forward

Consultations with stakeholders concluded in outstanding provinces of Gauteng , Western and Northern Cape; Northern Cape Provincial Executive Council (PEC) approved for migration of scholar transport function from Provincial Education to Transport department; Draft policy document updated and inputs from stakeholders , and Portfolio Committee on Transport consolidated ; Meetings and discussions with Department of Basic Education took place and still ongoing; Basic Education Department has rejected draft national scholar transport policy proposals and argues that DOT cannot dictate about the location of scholar transport functions in the country and only PEC’s can make ruling on the issue; Parliamentary Standing and Select Committees on Appropriations on Scholar Transport & National Treasury requested for resolution of scholar transport challenges and conclusion of policy development process; PROGRESS

EMERGING POLICY ISSUES AND CONCERNS Common consensus amongst stakeholders in all nine provinces that scholar transport function belongs to Department of Transport and role of Department of Basic Education is to teach; Conflict of stakeholder and government needs (in this case the Department of Basic Education insistence to define and implement transport policy and stakeholders view that Inherent scholar transport challenges can be resolved through transport expertise and solutions; Safe and efficient transportation of scholars and remuneration of operators quite minimal and does not meet scholar transport operators; Provinces have realised the need to allocate the function to Department of Transport; Continuing impasse between Department of Transport and Basic Education has created unconducive environment for resolution of scholar transport in short and long terms; EMERGING POLICY ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Resolution of disagreement between Department of Transport and Basic Education; Engagement with Portfolio Committee on Transport; Develop short and long terms for resolution of scholar transport challenges and matters including the migration of functions and safe and efficient transportation of scholars; Monitoring of scholar transport implementation and migration process in provinces; Establishment of an Inter-Ministerial task team to facilitate adoption of policy and provide recommendations to the Ministers of Transport ,Basic Education and Treasury on scholar transport; Gazette draft national scholar transport policy as green paper for public participation; Adoption and implementation of national scholar transport policy; WAYFORWARD

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